BAYER AG said yesterday it had entered into five projects with scientists in Singapore to work on earlier diagnosis and treatment of cancers that are most prevalent in Asia.

Senior researchers at the German pharmaceutical giant also said they had identified five compounds which they hope can fight liver, stomach and colorectal cancer.

"Five compounds that have survived early identification fit into these three cancers with high prevalence in Asia," Ludger Dinkelborg, head of Bayer's diagnostic imaging research, said in an interview.

"We can't predict if one of the five will make it. Of course, we want to make it to market, which is why we are here."

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, killing 7.4 million people in 2004. Topping the list is lung cancer, which killed 1.3 million people. The World Health Organisation projects there will be 12 million cancer deaths worldwide in 2030.