TruScreen Enters Uzbekistan With New Distributor and 600-Patient Trial
TruScreen enters Uzbekistan with new distributor and 600-patient clinical study
TruScreen Group Limited (ASX: TRU) has announced the appointment of Albatros Health Care LLC as its Uzbekistan distributor, alongside the commencement of a pilot clinical study enrolling approximately 600 patients in Tashkent. The arrangement carries a revenue potential of USD740,000 (NZD1.26m) over the 30-month period to the end of 2028.
The first batch of TruScreen screening devices has already shipped to Uzbekistan this week to support launch activities, training, and the pilot study. With 11.32 million women of screening age in Uzbekistan and cervical cancer ranked as the second most frequent cancer among women in the country, management sees the appointment as a material step in the company’s emerging market expansion.
Executive Chairman Tony Ho
“We are pleased to appoint Albatros Health Care as TruScreen’s distributor in Uzbekistan and to commence this important pilot clinical study in Tashkent. Uzbekistan represents a compelling market opportunity, and we believe TruScreen’s real-time, AI-enabled cervical cancer screening technology is well suited to local screening needs, particularly where scalable public screening solutions are required. The pilot study will generate valuable local data to support broader adoption in both the public and private sectors. Together with Albatros’ nationwide network and government relationships, this initiative provides a strong platform for TruScreen’s growth in Uzbekistan and the wider Central Asian region.”
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What the Uzbekistan entry looks like in practice
The distributor: Albatros Health Care LLC
Albatros Health Care LLC is an Uzbek medical device distributor established in 2017, with a nationwide sales network and established relationships with government stakeholders. Those government connections are particularly relevant given TruScreen’s focus on public sector adoption, where institutional buy-in is often the determining factor for scale.
A training programme is scheduled for July 2026, with senior TruScreen clinical managers on the ground to support both the clinical rollout and the Albatros sales team ahead of broader commercial activity.
The pilot clinical study — key facts
Ethics approval was received in May 2026, with formal commencement of the study expected by early June 2026. The study will be conducted at Obstet Gynecol Clinic in Tashkent, enrolling approximately 600 participants over one month.
The study will be led by Dr Pakhomova as principal investigator, with Dr Klara Yadgarova acting as advisor overseeing the project. Dr Yadgarova is a World Health Organization national consultant for Uzbekistan and a consultant for Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, a German-based global NGO, on Uzbekistan projects.
As defined under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in August 2025, the two study objectives are:
- To assess cervical screening options for the women of Uzbekistan and the implementation of TruScreen in the most effective way to prevent cervical cancer deaths, and to determine the accuracy, reliability and operational requirements of TruScreen compared to Pap smear in detecting early cancerous changes in the cervix.
- To develop a National Cervical Cancer Screening programme for Uzbekistan.
Study results are expected to provide validation data supporting TruScreen’s use in both public and private healthcare settings nationally.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Distributor | Albatros Health Care LLC |
| Appointment date | 18 May 2026 |
| Revenue potential | USD740,000 (NZD1.26m) to end 2028 |
| Study size | ~600 patients |
| Study location | Obstet Gynecol Clinic, Tashkent |
Why cervical cancer screening matters in Uzbekistan — and why TruScreen fits
Traditional cervical screening relies on Pap smear, a method that requires laboratory processing, specialist pathology interpretation, and cold-chain sample handling. In many emerging markets, including Uzbekistan, that infrastructure is either limited or unavailable at scale, leaving large portions of the female population without reliable access to screening.
TruScreen’s device is designed specifically for these conditions. It delivers real-time results at the point of care, with no laboratory requirement, making it operationally suited to public health programmes where scalability and infrastructure constraints are primary considerations.
The technology is not untested. TruScreen has screened more than 1,000,000 women worldwide and holds registrations across multiple markets, providing a clinical track record that healthcare authorities and NGOs can reference when evaluating national programme adoption.
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The bigger picture — Central Asia as a growth corridor
Uzbekistan is described by management as a significant market and a regional healthcare centre for neighbouring Central Asian “Stans” nations, where TruScreen’s real-time technology would be equally well-suited for public screening adoption. The commercial logic of the Uzbekistan entry, therefore, extends beyond a single country agreement.
TruScreen is currently in advanced discussions with potential distributors in several additional countries, consistent with its strategy of expanding through capable local partners in key emerging markets. Growing recognition from healthcare professionals, governments, and NGOs as a scalable public cervical cancer screening solution is positioned as the key driver behind this acceleration.
The near-term milestones investors should monitor include:
- Ethics approval and study commencement: early June 2026
- Senior TruScreen clinical managers on the ground for launch: July 2026
- Albatros sales team training: July 2026, ahead of broader commercial rollout
- Study results expected to validate TruScreen for national public and private sector use
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