Syria’s Ministry of Health has signed an agreement with Hematogenix to develop a new cancer research and diagnostic center in Damascus, on January 12, 2026, the deal was finalized at the Ministry of Health and is framed as a five-year effort to strengthen national cancer care capacity through upgraded infrastructure, advanced laboratory services, and workforce development.
What Was Signed And Who Is Involved
The agreement as a major partnership with Hematogenix, which it referred to as a global cancer research leader. The project is being advanced under Syria’s Ministry of Health, led by Health Minister Musab al-Ali, and Hematogenix leadership, including CEO Dr. Hytham (Haitham) al-Masri.
The announcement builds on earlier, publicly reported discussions about health-sector cooperation. In September 2025, President Ahmad al-Sharaa met Hematogenix founder and CEO Haitham al-Masri in Damascus to discuss potential collaboration to support cancer patients and develop the health sector, with the Health Minister also present.
Project Scope And Planned Capabilities
The initiative aims to upgrade existing facilities, develop advanced diagnostic laboratories, and establish a “fully autonomous” reference laboratory supporting oncology and hematology. Beyond laboratory build-out, the plan includes clinical research activity, staff training, and implementation of international quality standards elements that typically determine whether new centers can deliver reliable, reproducible diagnostic results over time.
Hematogenix describes itself as a reference laboratory organization supporting oncology-related testing and services across multiple global regions, including work in areas such as hematopathology, solid tumor pathology, immuno-oncology, and next-generation sequencing.
Roles, Approvals, And Initial Timeline
The project is expected to begin shortly. Under the described division of responsibilities, Hematogenix will pursue needed licenses and approvals, while the Ministry of Health will provide land for the center.
The first phase focuses on constructing a dedicated cancer research facility, which officials said is expected to open within a year, alongside staff training intended to enable operations as soon as the facility is ready. The center is expected to offer advanced diagnostic services using updated technology.
Quality Standards And The “Reference Lab” Model
A central feature of the announcement is the plan for an autonomous reference laboratory for oncology and hematology. In cancer care, reference labs often serve as high-complexity diagnostic hubs that support accurate tumor classification, biomarker testing, and standardized reporting functions that can directly influence treatment selection, eligibility for targeted therapies, and suitability for clinical trials.
Hematogenix has stated in other public materials that it operates as a clinical research central laboratory and has referenced accreditations such as CAP and CLIA in connection with its operations. While these frameworks are not automatically transferable across borders, they help explain why “international quality standards” is highlighted in the Syria project description.
Research And Training As Core Deliverables
Clinical research and staff training are integral components, not add-ons. In practical terms, this suggests the partnership aims to build durable capability specialized pathology expertise, laboratory workflows, quality management systems, and research methods rather than relying solely on equipment procurement.
This focus is particularly relevant in contexts where health systems have faced prolonged strain. Peer-reviewed literature has documented how conflict disrupts oncology services through infrastructure damage, workforce displacement, and reduced access to specialized care, making training and retention of oncology professionals a pivotal challenge.
Positioning The Center Within Regional Oncology Trends
Minister al-Ali described the center as unique in the Middle East, with specialized technologies intended to accelerate diagnosis and support a shift “from chemotherapy to immunotherapy.” Hematogenix’s CEO similarly characterized the center as a future regional hub, aiming to improve diagnostic quality and offer modern treatments such as immunotherapy, while initially prioritizing lower-cost services for Syrian patients before expanding regionally.
From a clinical standpoint, the chemotherapy-to-immunotherapy framing should be read as directional rather than absolute: immunotherapy has transformed outcomes for some cancers and subtypes, but its benefit depends on tumor biology, biomarker status, and patient-specific factors. The stronger, more immediate system-level link is diagnostic modernization—because immunotherapy use often depends on validated pathology and biomarker testing pathways.
Why Diagnostic Capacity Matters For Cancer Outcomes
Recent research on cancer care in Syria during years of conflict highlights persistent constraints, including uneven availability of oncology services and concentration of many specialized services in Damascus, alongside shortages affecting the broader cancer continuum of care.
In that context, building advanced diagnostics and a reference lab can be consequential in several ways: enabling earlier and more accurate diagnoses, supporting standardized reporting, reducing delays associated with sending samples elsewhere, and creating infrastructure that can support research collaborations and clinical trials over time. The extent of these gains will depend on implementation quality, supply chain stability, and integration with treatment capacity.
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Written by Nare Hovhannisyan, MD