Singapore – October 18, 2026 -- HistoIndex and Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly run preclinical evaluation and characterization of therapeutic candidates for fibrotic diseases, including cancer-associated fibrosis.
A*STAR pipeline candidates will be measured with HistoIndex's AI-based tissue analysis
The agreement pairs A*STAR's therapeutic development capabilities with HistoIndex's proprietary imaging technology and fully quantitative, AI-powered tissue analysis. HistoIndex's platform will provide objective, sensitive and accurate measures of fibrosis and treatment response across A*STAR's pipeline. Researchers are expected to use the data to decide which candidates to advance.
Dr Lisa Ooi, Assistant Chief Executive of A*STAR's Biomedical Research Council, said fibrotic diseases remain hard to evaluate in early development. Determining whether a candidate can prevent, halt or reverse fibrosis requires accurate, objective measurement of changes in fibrotic tissue, she said.
MoU opens door to biomarker discovery and joint therapeutic development
The collaboration also creates a platform for scientific exchange between the two parties. Areas for exploration include biomarker discovery, translational research, joint therapeutic development and commercialisation. The source does not specify financial terms, timelines or named drug candidates.
HistoIndex returns to its Singapore roots as an early A*STAR medtech spin-off
HistoIndex CEO Dr Gideon Ho described the company as one of A*STAR's early medtech spin-offs and said the deal brings its technology back to Singapore, where it began. He said the company aims to work with the research community to identify promising therapies for fibrotic diseases across multiple organs.
Separately, HistoIndex will showcase its digital pathology and AI-based tissue analysis capabilities at this year's AASLD The Liver Meeting Exhibition in Denver, Colorado.