Breast cancer victims die due to lack of radiologists in India. This startup offers an answer

In 2012, 145,000 cases of breast cancer were reported in India. Most of these were diagnosed at an advanced stage due to the lack of screening programs. Mammography, a technique using x-rays to locate breast cancer, is too inefficient to solve the problem because of the country’s lack of radiologists.

To combat that, Mumbai-based UE LifeSciences has invented a low-cost and portable breast screening device for early-stage detection of breast cancer. Today, the company announced it raised US$80,000 from Unitus Seed Fund. The fund will also bring in mentors from Manipal Hospitals, Narayana Health, and Pfizer.

“The devices could become the new standard of care for breast screening in India and other low-resource markets around the world. The company is taking a ‘Make in India’ approach to manufacture the devices inside India,” says Dave Richards, managing partner of Unitus Seed Fund.

The device, which is meant for healthcare centers, is called iBE (intelligent Breast Examination). From the surface of the breasts, the device can detect and classify tumors. It pairs with a smartphone via bluetooth. The scanning results appear on the phone’s screen. It alerts the user if any abnormalities are detected.

“[Because] women with dense breasts are at a higher risk of breast cancer, the conventional tools and methods like mammograms and clinical breast exams are less effective. Our technology is more suitable,” says Mihir Shah, co-founder and CEO of UE LifeSciences.

A screening is expected to be priced at INR 100 (US$1.50). With fresh funding, UE Lifesciences plans to expand its trials and market the devices.

Shah previously developed and commercialized innovative medical devices like NoTouch BreastScan and InfraScan. He co-founded UE LifeSciences in 2009 to develop innovative yet cost- and clinically-effective tools to battle breast cancer in geographies where incidents are on the rise and where western protocols for screening women are unadoptable or unsustainable.