Nexsen (ASX:NXN) has taken a significant step into Asia by signing a binding term sheet with GHK Hospital, a subsidiary of IHH Healthcare Berhad, to create a strategic collaboration for clinical validation, real-world data generation and commercialisation of its rapid point-of-care diagnostic platform.
GHK operates Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, a 500-bed multi-specialty private tertiary hospital and private teaching hospital, partnered exclusively with The University of Hong Kong, offering Nexsen direct access to specialist clinicians and relevant patient populations for testing and refining its diagnostics.
The agreement will allow Nexsen to progress clinical validation of its point-of-care tests within real-world hospital workflows, generate evidence to inform clinical pathways, and assess price points and reimbursement feasibility across markets where GHK and IHH operate, with a particular focus on North Asia.
The collaboration also contemplates joint educational and training activities to support clinician uptake, as well as joint research, development, and grant collaborations, including applications for Hong Kong Government, regional, and international grants. The parties expect to develop the term sheet into one or more definitive agreements within six months.
Nexsen Managing Director Mark Muzzin described the partnership as a move that brings the company’s platform into a leading hospital environment.
Muzzin said, "Nexsen has built its platform with world-class research partners to solve diagnostic gaps where faster answers can materially improve clinical decision making. The collaboration with GHK moves that work into a leading hospital environment, giving Nexsen access to specialist clinicians, relevant patient populations and real-world workflows where our rapid diagnostics can be clinically assessed and refined for future adoption."
He added that the partnership strengthens Nexsen’s ability to execute its Asia Pacific strategy and provides "a critical bridge between product development and real-world adoption across one of the world’s most important healthcare regions."
Dr Kenneth Tsang, Regional Chief Executive Officer of IHH Healthcare North Asia, emphasised IHH’s commitment to innovation and value-based care and highlighted the potential of Nexsen’s platform to support timelier clinical decision-making. He said, "IHH Healthcare North Asia is committed to advancing clinical excellence and improving patient outcomes through innovation, value-based care and strategic partnerships. Nexsen’s rapid point-of-care diagnostic platform is a compelling example of the type of innovation that can support more timely clinical decision-making in real-world healthcare settings. The ability to deliver accurate diagnostic insights closer to the patient has the potential to improve workflows, support clinicians and address gaps in care that can impact treatment timing. We look forward to exploring this collaboration with Nexsen, beginning with clinical validation and real-world assessment of its diagnostic platform in relevant patient populations."
Initial activities under the GHK collaboration are expected to focus on clinical validation and real-world assessment of Nexsen’s lead diagnostics for Group B Streptococcus and Kidney Function within GHK and affiliated IHH entities in North Asia, with additional diagnostic applications to be scoped as Nexsen’s broader suite of diagnostics progresses toward clinical readiness.