Driving Digital Health Innovation

Malaysia Launches National Policy for Rare Diseases to Strengthen Healthcare Ecosystem and Patient Support

AstraZeneca is honored to collaborate with the Ministry of Health and key academic partners in the launch of the National Policy for Rare Diseases. This pivotal policy reshapes the healthcare landscape, moving rare diseases from the margins to the center of a sustainable, structured ecosystem. To bolster this mission, the Ministry of Health has committed an additional RM5 million to support specialized initiatives.

Aligned with our rare disease equity agenda, we champion a "whole-of-nation" strategy focused on overcoming global treatment gaps. By supporting milestones like the new rare kidney disease subsidy MoU, we strive to accelerate early diagnosis and enhance treatment access, ensuring inclusive care for the 12,000 patients currently navigating rare conditions across Malaysia.

AstraZeneca Participated in the Centre for Innovation in Regulatory Science Asia-Pacific Workshop

AstraZeneca recently participated in the Centre for Innovation in Regulatory Science (CIRS) Asia-Pacific workshop, focusing on strengthening patient involvement in regulatory and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) decision-making. As healthcare shifts toward a more inclusive model, patients are transitioning from treatment recipients to active partners in shaping research, development, and regulatory pathways.

Through our Patient-Centred Development Framework, we ensure that patient insights are embedded at every level of our clinical programs. Data demonstrates that patient-centric trials are not only more efficient, recruiting patients up to four months faster, but also more successful, with a 19% higher likelihood of launch. By aligning local regulations with international standards for Patient Experience Data (PED), we can accelerate the delivery of life-changing innovations to those who need them most.

AstraZeneca Malaysia Collaborated with WHO, MOH, and NCSM to Advance Lung Health and Early Detection During Lung Cancer Awareness Month

AstraZeneca Malaysia proudly supported the Ministry of Health and National Cancer Society Malaysia’s (NCSM) Lung Health Initiative: Health & Wellness Year-End Screening Programme at The Bousteador on 14 November 2025. The full-day programme engaged 85 participants, promoting lung health and overall wellness while emphasizing the importance of early detection for cancer and other non-communicable diseases. 

The event was attended by WHO Director-General Special Envoy for Chronic Respiratory Diseases, Mr. Jose Luis Castro, and international media delegates, highlighting Malaysia’s strategic efforts to improve lung health. NCSM also introduced LungShield, the world’s first microinsurance product to enhance access to essential lung screenings and diagnostics. AstraZeneca remains committed to advancing early detection, improving diagnostics, and driving innovation to transform lung cancer care and improve patient outcomes.

AstraZeneca Showcases AI-Driven Lung Health Innovation at ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025, Supporting Malaysia’s Human-Centric AI Vision

At the ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025, Malaysia’s Prime Minister unveiled a human-centric AI vision built on five pillars, including policy, digital talent, infrastructure, trust, and partnerships. These priorities align with AstraZeneca’s commitment to improving patient outcomes through science and innovation.

Invited by the Ministry of Health Malaysia, AstraZeneca showcased its collaboration on the Lung Health Initiative and AI in chest X-ray. This partnership demonstrates how AI can enhance early detection, support clinical decisions, and enable patient-centric care. It also highlights the value of public–private collaboration as a scalable, impactful model for advancing digital health across Malaysia and ASEAN.

AstraZeneca Malaysia Strengthens Fight Against Cancer with Strategic AI Diagnostics and Lung Health Partnerships

AstraZeneca Malaysia is accelerating the digital transformation of oncology care through a strategic partnership with the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) and Qure.ai. By integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into chest X-ray (CXR) diagnostics, we are moving toward a highly efficient, tech-enabled screening ecosystem that enables earlier and more precise detection of lung abnormalities.

This initiative is a core component of our broader Lung Health Initiative (LHI), which brings together diverse stakeholders from the Ministry of Health and the private sector to create a seamless, data-driven patient pathway. By leveraging AI to assist clinicians in identifying early-stage cancer, we are reducing diagnostic delays and significantly improving the statistical likelihood of successful patient outcomes. This commitment to digital health innovation ensures that the latest global technological standards are applied locally to address Malaysia's most pressing healthcare challenges.

Digital and Innovation, the Future of Healthcare

The first health innovation hub in Malaysia was established in 2021 in partnership with Sunway University’s innovation arm Sunway iLabs, making it the 10th hub in Emerging Markets, together with other hubs located in Russia, Brazil, Argentina, India, Singapore, Gulf Cooperation Council countries and mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Through Malaysia’s first health innovation hub, we aim to create partnerships with local healthcare innovators and provide them with the platform and tools needed to build sustainable ecosystems and drive digital health innovation.

Co-creating Digital Solutions to Advance Healthcare

In 2023, we partnered with MRANTI to facilitate patient-enabled innovation in Malaysia and to funnel potential tech start-ups to A.Catalyst Network for global expertise on developing health tech solutions for patients.

Ecosystem Partnerships for Early Screening and Enhanced Healthcare Delivery

MyLung Health

The MyLung Health programme was launched in partnership with the Twin Towers Medical Centre, Lung Cancer Network Malaysia, National Cancer Society Malaysia, QureAI and MedTweetMy to improve the public’s access to lung health screening.

Under this partnership, all partners commit to upscaling lung health screening for the community by harnessing advanced AI technology for the early detection of lung diseases.

Smart Partnership for Early Actions in CKD Management

To improve the early detection, treatment, and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Malaysia, we have established a partnership with societies and laboratories to harness advanced digital solutions - MyCKD CPG app and Kidney Failure Risk Equation – for early CKD management.

Partners:

The Malaysian Society of Nephrology (MSN), the Malaysian Association of Clinical Biochemists (MACB), Chapter of Chemical Pathology and Metabolic Medicine, College of Pathologists, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (CPMM, CPath AMM), Premier Integrated Labs, Innoquest Pathology, Lablink Medical Laboratory, and Sunway Medical Centre Laboratory.

Sunway Healthcare to Enhance Healthcare Delivery

Building on existing collaborations, this partnership with Sunway Healthcare Group focuses on the areas of clinical trials and research, lung health screening, the integration of advanced diagnostic tools in lab reporting and improving patient health literacy through our web-based platform, mySihatPal.

Establishing the Severe Asthma Network Serdang

A partnership with the Serdang Pulmonology Society and the Malaysian Family Medicine Specialist Association (FMSA) to form the Severe Asthma Network Serdang for improved asthma screening. The collaboration enables us to play a key role in simplifying and accelerating the referral of potential severe asthma patients to respiratory specialists.

All parties commit to facilitating the early intervention and treatment of severe asthma as well as developing and disseminating standardised best practices for managing severe asthma.