SHANGHAI, China, May 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Burning Rock and Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN), a global leader in gene sequencing and array-based technologies, jointly announced today that they are joining forces to promote the development and standardization of NGS-based cancer therapy selection in China based on Illumina’s NextSeqTM 550Dx system.
In 2015, Illumina’s sequencing technology and Burning Rock’s development and commercial capabilities were for the first time combined, providing China’s precision oncology market with advanced NGS-based cancer therapy selection solutions in the past five years. In 2020, as the first genetic testing company in China to achieve development of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests for both circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and tissue based on the NextSeqTM 550Dx system agreement with Illumina, Burning Rock will further expand and deepen the application of NGS technologies in the field of cancer therapy selection.
The value of NGS application in precision medicine and companion diagnostics has been widely recognized by clinical experts and cancer patients. Compared with traditional genetic testing methods, NGS-based cancer therapy selection allows patients to understand the mutation of multiple genes related to cancer treatment, providing doctors and patients with one-stop targeted therapy and immunotherapy drugs testing solutions, ultimately saving time and preserving samples.
In July 2018, Burning Rock’s innovative product "Human EGFR / ALK / BRAF / KRAS gene mutation detection kit (reversible end termination sequencing method)" based on Illumina sequencing system became the first NGS-based reagent kit to be approved by National Medication Products Administration (NMPA). Since then, tumor NGS testing can be officially used in Chinese hospitals. In the future, Burning Rock will continue to seek NMPA approvals for its IVD products based on NextSeqTM 550Dx and other sequencing systems to promote the implementation of tumor NGS products in hospitals and benefit more cancer patients.
“Through our long-term, close and pleasant cooperation with Illumina, we have delivered the world's leading NGS-based therapy selection solutions for clinical oncology, and improved the development and application of NGS-based cancer therapy selection in China.” said Mr. Han Yusheng, founder and CEO of Burning Rock. “Today we are delighted to announce that Burning Rock and Illumina will further deepen cooperation based on the NextSeqTM 550Dx system, to provide more high-quality molecular diagnostic solutions for clinical oncology treatment and promote the standardization of NGS-based cancer therapy selection in China.”
“Burning Rock is one of the leading precision oncology companies in China,” said Joydeep Goswami, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategic Planning at Illumina, said. “I am pleased to see that during the close cooperation with Illumina in the past five years, Burning Rock has continuously developed tumor diagnosis solutions that meet the needs of the local market. The new agreement is a testament to our strong cooperation in the past, and also the beginning of a more in-depth cooperation.”
Li Qing, General Manager of Greater China at Illumina, said: “Burning Rock has brought hope to countless Chinese patients by providing a series of tumor molecular diagnostic solutions. And we are very happy to be involved. In the future, I firmly believe that genetic testing technology will further change the current treatment paradigm for cancer and provide critical support to conquer this disease at an early date.”
About Burning Rock
Burning Rock, whose mission is to Guard Life via Science, focuses on the application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology in the field of precision oncology. Its business consists of i) NGS-based therapy selection testing for late-stage cancer patients, with the leading market share in China and over 185,000 tissue and liquid-based tests completed cumulatively, and ii) NGS-based cancer early detection, which has moved beyond proof-of-concept R&D into the clinical validation stage.
About Illumina
Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit www.illumina.com and follow @illumina.