Genetron Health donates NGS platform to Huoshenshan Hospital

Genetron Holdings Ltd, also known as Genetron Health, a Beijing-headquartered precision oncology company that aims to provide one-stop genomic profiling solutions for full-cycle cancer care, announced late Thursday it had donated a GENETRON S5 semiconductor high-throughput sequencer and supporting instruments to Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital, which arrived at the hospital on Wednesday for immediate use.

Worth 3 million yuan ($430,000), the molecular diagnostic platform is Huoshenshan Hospital's only next-generation sequencing platform.

The platform can perform accurate molecular tests of clinical samples to yield comprehensive genomic data, which is of great use in current and future clinical and epidemiology research in battling COVID-19, such as helping monitor mutations of the coronavirus, formulating preventive measures and developing related diagnostic kits, vaccines and drug treatment.

The sequencing platform also effectively and efficiently complements the current PCR test, and enhances reliable testing for weak positive cases in a substantially shorter time. In addition, it can aid diagnosis of any co-infections and support follow-up precision treatment, the company said.

The company said it has collaborated with more than 400 hospitals and dozens of biopharmaceutical companies and research institutions in China, and has developed a large proprietary genomic database.

The company has published many research papers in highly influential worldwide peer-reviewed scientific journals, including Nature Genetics, Nature Communications, Cell Research and PNAS.