MedX Health Corp. (TSX-V:MDX) and Al Zahrawi Medical Supplies LLC have struck a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a two-phase commercialization pilot and distribution agreement for MedX’s leading-edge DermSecure Screening Platform at select United Arab Emirates (UAE) oncology and dermatology clinics starting this month.
The Mississauga, Ontario-based medical device and software company that focuses on skin health said the three-month pilot will involve an estimated 1,000 patients at four dermatology and oncology clinics in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. “Upon the successful completion of the two phases, the MedX DermSecure Screening Platform will become more widely available at clinics and health care facilities across the UAE,” said the company.
As the largest distributor of medical devices in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, the partnership with Al Zahrawi positions MedX for continued growth in other Middle Eastern markets including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain.
READ: MedX Health announces inaugural clinical trial of teledermatology screening platform in Turkey
The initiative is the latest in a series of commercialization pilots recently launched in Europe and the Middle East as part of MedX’s global commercialization strategy, building on pilots underway in the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey. “Additional commercialization pilots are anticipated in the coming months,” said the company.
“At Zahrawi, we are passionate about providing the highest quality products and services to healthcare facilities and laboratories across the GCC,” David Fawzy Yassa, business development director at Al Zahrawi, said in a statement. “MedX’s teledermatology platform meets these high standards, with a proven ability to improve outcomes for dermatology patients. We’re eager to work with MedX to bring the platform to more patients across the UAE market and other GCC nations.”
Unlike other teledermatology screening tools, MedX’s DermSecure Screening Platform has high-resolution image capture technology for moles, lesions and other skin conditions, providing a complete, virtual dermatological assessment by a certified dermatologist within 72 hours.
The Canadian company has developed the SIAscope — the only image-capture technology on the market that provides clinical, dermoscopic, and spectrophotometric views of moles and lesions up to 2 millimeters (mm) below the skin's surface.
MedX's device can capture perfect clinical images with 100% image integrity, which makes it ideal for dermatologists wanting to integrate teledermatology into their practices. Additionally, the company has rolled out DermSecure — its secure, cloud-based telemedicine platform and patient management system to provide a complete end-to-end solution for dermatologists.
Meanwhile, MedX CEO Sylvain Desjeans noted that the pilot is a “significant step forward” in growing MedX’s global presence, particularly among countries in the GCC region.
“During this time of rapid growth for our company, we look forward to working with trusted partners like Al Zahrawi to expand our global footprint and improve more patient outcomes,” he said.
“Our pilot in the UAE is an important foothold in the GCC region – it represents the first of six markets we want to penetrate in the Middle East,” added Naman Demaghlatrous, Managing Director of Europe, Middle East and Africa at MedX. “Following the successful completion of this UAE pilot, we’ll be seeking other similar opportunities in Saudi Arabia and other GCC nations in the months ahead.”
According to Omnia Health, melanoma skin cancer is of growing concern in the UAE, with an incidence rate of 14.5%. The World Health Organization estimates that cancer rates in the Middle East will double by 2030 and early and rapid detection of melanoma holds the key to improving patient outcomes.
Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com
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