BEIJING, CHINA and SAN DIEGO, CA, USA – July 21, 2014 –Berry Genomics Co. Ltd. announced today it has chosen IlluminaInc’s.(NASDAQ: ILMN)next generation sequencing (NGS) technology as the platform on which Berry will secure Chinese Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) regulatory approval for clinical applications, thereby expanding access to NGS-based tests in China.
Under the agreement, the companies co-developed an NGS system to provide a cost-effective, easy-to-use assay for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). A working version of the new assay and instrument system has been validated in clinical settings in China, and is in late stage review under the CFDA’s medical device registration process.
The new system integrates Berry Genomics’ BambniTM assay, which includes a library preparation kit, analysis software, and a sequencing instrument based on Illumina’s NextSeqTM 500 Sequencing System. Berry’s proprietary BambniTM assay, which has been validated on more than 200,000 samples, utilizes a unique PCR-free library prep technology and the proprietary RUPATM analysis software.
“There are two million high-risk and advanced maternal age pregnancies a year in China, which is about three times the size of the U.S. market. We need to ensure we are addressing women’s needs by offering a safe and proven technology. As the first and only company with a U.S. FDA cleared next-generation sequencing instrument, Illumina is an ideal collaboration partner given their experience,” said Daixing Zhou, CEO of Berry Genomics.
“Berry is one of the leading providers of NIPT in China, and Illumina is excited to collaborate with them to customize the NextSeq under CFDA requirements,”said Greg Heath, Senior Vice President, IVD Development at Illumina. “This agreement is an example of our commitment to working with clinical companies in China and worldwide who want to develop and commercialize in vitro diagnostics based on next-generation sequencing.”
About Berry Genomics
Berry Genomics (www.berrygenomics.com) is a leading biotech company in China which develops and commercializes next generation sequencing based integrated solutions for clinical applications, primarily in genetic testing and oncology testing. Berry Genomics pioneered non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in China and is the leading provider of NIPT in China. Like NIPT, the products and technologies under development at Berry Genomics will address unmet needs of other genetic diseases and cancer.
About Illumina
Illumina (www.illumina.com) is a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of life science tools and integrated systems for the analysis of genetic variation and function. We provide innovative sequencing and array-based solutions for genotyping, copy number variation analysis, methylation studies, gene expression profiling, and low-multiplex analysis of DNA, RNA, and protein. We also provide tools and services that are fueling advances in consumer genomics and diagnostics. Illumina’s technology and products accelerate genetic analysis research and its application, paving the way for molecular medicine and ultimately transforming healthcare.