Using BGI's sequencing technology, the firms plan to commercialize Natera's Signatera test in China and to develop reproductive health tests in "select markets."
The partners aim to optimize DNA nanoball technology, accelerate the use of CTC technology, and work on a diagnostic tool for use at the point of care.
BGI will study pancreatic cancer with a group at Johns Hopkins and develop a diagnostic test for preterm birth detection with Mount Sinai Hospital researchers.
The Chinese government has implemented clearer regulatory guidance for genomic tests and invested in both clinical testing and research, spurring growth.
The researchers said that better diagnostics are needed to distinguish between false preterm labor and true preterm labor to prevent unnecessary treatment.
The partners will use Hummingbird's miRNA database and expertise in sample preparation as well as BGI's BGISEQ sequencer and analysis pipeline to develop targeted miRNA IVD assays.
