Illumina Hosts Second NGS Industry Summit in Shanghai, Unveiling NovaSeq™ X Plus and Advancing Genomic Innovation Ecosystem

ShanghaiNovember 10, 2022/PR Newswire/ --November 9Illumina, Inc., the global leader in gene sequencing and chip technology, hosted the second "NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) Industry Summit" in Shanghai. Themed "Gather the Stars, Vast Because of You," the summit brought together approximately 45,000 guests, including scholars in the field of genomics, clinical experts, representatives of innovative life science companies, investors, and industry observers, both online and offline, to jointly promote the development of precision medicine and the genetic industry in China.

Illumina's 2nd "NGS Industry Summit"

Gathering Starlight, Genomics Enters a New Era

The 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, announced in October, was awarded for the first time to Svante Pääbo, a scientist in the field of ancient human genomics. This prestigious award reflects the growing importance of genomics in both academic and industrial circles. Despite increasing global economic uncertainties and slowing growth, the genome sequencing industry remains a highly regarded golden track in the global biopharmaceuticals and healthcare sectors, with China's genome sequencing market showing particularly outstanding development potential.

Research shows that the market size of gene sequencing in China was $1.59 billion in 2021, and this figure will grow to $4.235 billion by 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% over the next five years.¹. Recently,The Central Committee of the Communist Party of ChinaThe report points out that adhering to prevention as the main focus, and improving the grassroots disease prevention, treatment, and health management capabilities, also provides guidance for the high-quality development direction of China's gene industry.

"I am very pleased to invite representatives from all sectors of genomics today to present their developments in respective fields," said Eric Li, Senior Vice President of Illumina globally and General Manager of Greater China. "The NGS Summit is a stage for genetic research and genetic diagnosis, where every company in this field can showcase its unique innovative capabilities. Illumina has a very large ecosystem and is always committed to collaborating with governments and scientists around the world for open exploration."

Illumina's Global Senior Vice President and General Manager of Greater China, Li Qing, spoke on site.

Yu Jun, Associate Director and Honorary Professor of the Beijing Genomics Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated: "In the future, NGS technology will not only be satisfied with detecting everyone's genome but will also be applied to multi-faceted sequencing scenarios such as transcriptomes, tumor mutations, and gut microbiota. It is hoped that genomic data can be integrated with healthcare to make substantive contributions to societal development and public health."

Yu Jun, Deputy Director and Honorary Professor of the Beijing Genomics Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a video speech.

Moving Forward with Goodness, Promoting a New Model of Precision Medicine

The rapid advancement of genomic research and sequencing technologies, represented by next-generation sequencing (NGS), has become a key driver in accelerating the realization of precision medicine. This allows scientists and researchers to explore fundamental pathogenic mechanisms at the molecular level, enabling clinicians to design methods for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, thereby tackling previously unconquerable diseases.

"Precision medicine is very important for clinical practice, covering all aspects from early diagnosis to surgical decision-making, as well as clinical trials and drug development. The core concept in the development of precision medicine should be 'patient-centered,' with affordability being one of the most crucial factors. This requires every party involved in the precision medicine process to make cost reduction and benefiting patients their goals. Through full-chain, full-cycle cooperation between hospitals and upstream and downstream industries, we hope to provide patients with..."Inclusive"A concise diagnosis and treatment plan." said Mao Ying, Dean of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University.

Dialogue between Mao Ying, Dean of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, and Liu Yan, Chief Commercial Officer of Genetron Health

In the view of Liu Yan, Chief Business Officer of Genetron Health, with the rapid development of tumor genomics, NGS has become one of the core technical means of precision medicine. At the same time, the development of technology and innovative techniques is becoming increasingly mature and moving towards compliance and standardization. As a link in the precision medicine ecosystem, companies should further enhance the accessibility of technology by collaborating with partners within the ecosystem. "We hope to make molecular diagnostic technology more accessible and enter ordinary households in an easy-to-understand manner," said Liu Yan.

Genetron Health Chief Business Officer Liu Yan Speaks at the Event

As the aging population intensifies, the global incidence of cancer continues to rise and is showing a trend of affecting younger individuals. Effective early tumor screening can increase the proportion of patients detected at an early stage, offering them better treatment opportunities. "About 80% of cancer patients in China are diagnosed at middle or advanced stages, a figure significantly higher than in Western countries. Aside from maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding environmental pollution as preventive measures, age is also one of the key factors contributing to the increased risk of cancer. For populations with rising risks, providing more accessible, accurate, and affordable early tumor screening products, combined with existing precision cancer diagnosis and treatment technologies, we can help cancer patients discover and treat the disease earlier, thus achieving longer and higher-quality survival," said Han Yusheng, founder and CEO of Burning Rock Biotech.

Burning Rock Medical Founder and CEO Yusen Han Speaks at the Event

In the field of reproductive health and genetics, about 80% of rare diseases are genetic disorders caused by gene defects.²Genetic testing is one of the key methods for diagnosing rare diseases and genetic disorders, transforming the lives of many patients and families worldwide. Rare genetic diseases have always been a significant focus for Illumina globally as well as in China. During the summit, the "Rare and Light" public welfare project was officially launched, initiated by the Genetic Disease Diagnosis Special Fund of the China Birth Defects Intervention and Relief Foundation, with support from the Illumina Foundation and the international philanthropic organization Give2Asia. Over the next three years, this initiative will provide free genetic testing to more than 2,000 patient families in China, promoting improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases in the country and bringing them a ray of hope.

"The Rare and Light" Public Welfare Project Officially Launched

Innovation+Collaboration, ushering in a genomic era accessible to all

During this summit, Illumina unveiled the NovaSeq, its next-generation gene sequencing platform, for the first time globally and in Asia on the opening day of the CIIE.^TMX Plus, once again propelling the field of genomics into a new journey. NovaSeq^TMThe high throughput of X Plus will greatly accelerate genomic discoveries and clinical insights, helping scientists, researchers, clinicians, and other professionals achieve more breakthroughs in large-scale cohort studies, multi-omics, modern agricultural applications, precision medicine, and other fields.

Next-Generation High-Throughput Sequencing Platform NovaSeq(TM) X Plus

Beyond focusing on technological innovation, Illumina is also committed to fostering an innovative ecosystem. Last year, Illumina partnered with Sequoia China to launch the Sequoia China Intelligent Healthcare Genomics Incubator (Powered by Illumina) in Zhangjiang, Shanghai. This initiative aims to drive local innovation and technology transformation through a model of "open innovation lab platform + incubation empowerment + investment." Among the nine startups selected for the second cohort of the Sequoia China Intelligent Healthcare Genomics Incubator (Powered by Illumina), five made appearances at the summit. These nine companies are not only competing for the final incubation spots but also participating in the second season of the "Rising Stars of Tomorrow" selection during Shanghai's International Biomedical Industry Week.

Demo Show of the Second Acceleration Camp of Sequoia China Intelligent Healthcare Genomics Incubator (Powered by Illumina Technology)

"Illumina will steadfastly implement its localization strategy, engage in extensive and deep cooperation with local partners, and work together to build a new innovative ecosystem in the genomics field, promoting high-quality development of the industry. With the continuous innovation of sequencing technology, we believe that in the next five to ten years, we will be able to obtain crucial scientific data for human health and the Earth's environment through genomic sequencing. Genomics will also transition from 'Sickcare' to 'Healthcare,' playing a significant role as a 'guardian of health' across broader fields," said Li Qing.