WORKING on a public holiday sounds like a turn-off, but Jesse Hong's experience proves that approaching it with a positive attitude can lead to many possibilities.

The managing director of Sirius Medical Innovation was called to work on a Vesak Day last year after clinching a meeting slot with a potential business partner. 'When I first called her, telling her I have a new technology that may be useful, she said, 'Why don't you come down tomorrow and show me what you have?'

'Tomorrow' turned out to be a public holiday - but Mr Hong went anyway. After all, the counter party was Lin Li Fang, the chairperson of Jurong Technologies Industrial Corp.

Mr Hong gave a presentation on a type of infrared technology that has applications in shipyard preventive maintenance, security and healthcare diagnostics.

But it was the part on healthcare that stood out as an attractive proposition. The potential investor was so interested in it that she flew to the US - where the technology was from - to see for herself what it could offer.

Convinced that the high-precision infrared technology could improve medical care, Sirius Medical Innovation was born. With Jurong Tech taking a 55 per cent interest, the company developed the technology into what it calls the thermal imaging medical system (TIMS) for early detection of breast cancer in women.

The made-in-Singapore system is now undergoing tests at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH). Unlike a conventional mammogram, which requires a patient to have her breasts compressed by a mammography machine, Sirius Medical's TIMS calls for the patient to stand inside a closed box to have her chest area imaged using infrared technology. Her hands are then submerged into cold water.

This spurs increased blood flow and more heat to any tumour area. And after the patient is imaged again, the second set of images is compared with the first. Through sophisticated software and computational analytics, the heat patterns help doctors pinpoint abnormal breast tissue.

'It is non-invasive, does not require compression and has no radiation side-effects, making it a safe option for women of all conditions and age,' said Jurong Tech's Ms Lin.

'I believe more women will be encouraged to go for regular screening with this new technology. I want Sirius Medical to be the forerunner for this technology, and for the good of mankind.'

According to Mr Hong, TIMS is particularly useful for detection of breast cancer in younger women. They tend to have denser breasts, which can mask the growth of abnormal tissue when a traditional mammogram is carried out.

The machine has been tested on close to 500 women, and the target is to have 1,000 patients tested by year- end. During the tests, Sirius Medical is working closely with doctors at KKH to come up with a set of protocols as well as a training manual.

The system needs to be approved by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) before it can be sold in Singapore and the region.

'I've already got purchase orders for seven machines,' says Mr Hong. 'But without HSA's approval I can't sell anything.'

However, he is optimistic of getting the green light by the end of this year. After that, Jurong Tech is likely to manufacture the machine on a commercial scale. The company is open to an OEM model, if any major equipment brands approach.

Separately, Sirius Medical filed an application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January to prepare for the sale of the TIMS equipment in North America. Mr Hong expects the final approval by the middle of this month.

'At this point of time the quantity is not big enough for us to go into overseas markets directly,' he says. 'We may consider setting up joint ventures overseas to make use of existing channels. I think that's the easiest way for us.'

If things go to plan, Sirius Medical expects to be profitable by the second quarter of next year and to achieve turnover of $150 million in 2009. Mr Hong says the company will not be a one-product outfit.

'We are looking into medical LED lights which can heal and at the same time be energy-saving for hospitals,' he says. 'The infrared technology can also be used for the detection of skin cancer and colon cancer. But we are still doing research on those.'

This article was first published in The Business Times on November 11, 2008.