Manulife Singapore is intensifying its commitment to preventative healthcare and lifespan enhancement solutions via a new partnership with Guardant Health, a precision oncology expert. This strategy makes Manulife the pioneer insurance firm in Singapore to provide the Shield™ multi-cancer detection (MCD) blood test, available to eligible customers from May 2026.
This collaboration is part of a broader Asian alliance between the two companies, covering Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. The partnership reiterates Manulife’s overarching strategy of amalgamating health protection with long-term wealth and lifespan planning.
Designed to screen ten prevalent cancers with a single blood draw, the Shield™ MCD lab-crafted test underscores several cancers with high fatality rates in Singapore. The test was recently awarded the “Oncology Product Innovation of the Year” title at the Healthcare Asia Medtech Awards and received the Breakthrough Device Designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This partnership advances the pre-existing relationship between Manulife and Guardant Health, as the latter already offers the Guardant360® Liquid test for advanced solid tumours to customers in Singapore.
The partnership evidences an increasing emphasis on preventative care and healthy ageing among insurers as Asia’s populace demographic shift. “As longevity increases, the primary concern is the quality of those extended years,” stated Benoit Meslet, President and CEO of Manulife Singapore. “Providing customers with early insights into their health enables them to make informed decisions today for a healthier tomorrow.”
Singapore is one of the fastest-ageing societies in Asia, with healthcare systems prioritising preventative and personalised care. In 2024, cancer was the predominant cause of death in Singapore, accounting for over a quarter of all fatalities.
Manulife’s initiative aligns with the findings from the 2025 Asia Care Survey, showing that over half of Singapore consumers perceive cancer as the hardest illness to prevent.
What is the new collaboration between Manulife Singapore and Guardant Health about?
The collaboration aims to offer the Shield™ multi-cancer detection (MCD) blood test to eligible Manulife customers in Singapore, aiding in the early detection of ten common cancers.
How does this partnership align with Manulife’s broader strategy?
This partnership coincides with Manulife’s broader strategy of blending health protection with long-term wealth and lifespan planning. It underscores the insurer’s emphasis on preventative care and healthy ageing.
What insights does the 2025 Asia Care Survey provide?
The survey reveals that over half of Singapore consumers consider cancer as the most difficult disease to prevent, indicating the importance of early detection and preventative healthcare.
