New Delhi: Zydus Lifesciences Ltd on Friday announced a partnership with Apollo Hospitals to offer Shield multi-cancer detection test to patients in India.Through its exclusive agreement with Guardant Health, Inc, a leading precision oncology company, Zydus Lifesciences has the rights to make the Shield multi-cancer detection (MCD) test available in India.Zydus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Apollo Hospitals to offer the MCD test in India, the company said in a regulatory filing.Commenting on the development, Zydus Lifesciences Ltd Managing Director Sharvil Patel said the partnership with Apollo Hospitals and Guardant Health to introduce Shield MCD in India will expand access to an innovative screening technology that complements existing screening pathways."Through focused awareness initiatives, we continue to encourage timely screening and proactive healthcare with our range of companion diagnostics," he added.Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman, Prathap C Reddy said cancer continues to be one of the greatest health challenges facing societies worldwide, and expanding access to timely, reliable screening is critical to reducing its impact."Our collaboration with Zydus Lifesciences marks an important milestone in advancing accessible, patient-friendly cancer screening solutions for the people of India," he added.Guardant Health AMEA Chief Executive Officer Simranjit Singh said earlier detection has the potential to transform cancer outcomes and Shield MCD represents an important advancement in helping identify cancer-associated signals through a single blood draw."Together, we are expanding access to innovative screening technologies that can support earlier clinical evaluation and help shape the future of cancer care in India," Singh added.The Shield MCD is blood test for the detection of multiple cancer types including bladder, colorectal, breast, prostate, oesophageal, gastric, liver, lung, ovarian and pancreas cancer in individuals aged 45 or older and who are at typical average risk for cancer, the company said.