Guardant Health’s Shield Test Selected by Abu Dhabi Department of Health for Blood-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Program
January 30, 2025
Health officials introduce blood test as a more pleasant option to encourage greater participation in screening and boost early detection of colorectal cancer
PALO ALTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Guardant Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GH), a leading precision oncology company, today announced an agreement with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) to introduce a non-invasive blood-based screening program for colorectal cancer using Guardant’s Shield™ test. The agreement was set up through Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, a multinational pharmaceutical group and regional partner for Guardant in the Middle East and North Africa, and will be administered by the M42 healthcare system.1
Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in Abu Dhabi, with 63% of cases diagnosed at a late stage, which adversely affects health outcomes and lowers survival rates.2 The introduction of the Shield blood test is intended to be a significant step forward in improving screening participation, early detection and outcomes for the community.
The Shield test will be provided as part of the ADPHC’s IFHAS comprehensive health screening program and will be available at major healthcare facilities operated by Ambulatory Healthcare Services and M42 sites across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and the Al Dhafra region. This broad accessibility and the more pleasant screening experience are expected to address low adherence rates, a key challenge in the early detection of colorectal cancer.
“Early detection of colorectal cancer can dramatically improve survival rates,” said AmirAli Talasaz, Guardant Health co-CEO. “This new population screening program by the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi prioritizes community health by providing a more pleasant screening option that can help increase early detection and improve outcomes for the people of the UAE.”
The blood-based colorectal cancer screening program is expected to screen approximately 10,000 people across Abu Dhabi and surrounding regions in its first year.