Dian Diagnostics Partners with Agena Bioscience to Advance Precision Medicine in China

In recent years, precision medicine has become a trend in medical development.

According to VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat), on July 4, [the company] once again made a significant move by partnering with U.S.-based Agena Bioscience (“Agena”) to continuously contribute to the localization and implementation of advanced international diagnostic and therapeutic technologies in China.

Previously, in November 2017, Dian Diagnostics joined forces with the Danaher Group in the field of mass spectrometry testing; in April 2018, it further collaborated with Roche Group and FMI in the area of precision oncology diagnostics.

Dian Diagnostics Announces Commercial Collaboration with Agena to Promote Nucleic Acid Mass Spectrometry and Multiplex DNA Testing in ChinaDian Diagnostics announced today that it has entered into a commercial collaboration agreement with Agena. The two parties will work together to promote the adoption of nucleic acid mass spectrometry platforms and multiplex DNA genetic testing diagnostic solutions in the Chinese market. They are committed to advancing clinical research and practice in life sciences and precision medicine, thereby facilitating the full implementation of China’s Precision Medicine Initiative.

Under this collaboration, the platform designated by Dian Diagnostics will obtain authorization for Agena’s core products in China. Leveraging Agena’s globally leading technological advantages in nucleic acid mass spectrometry platforms, along with Dian Diagnostics’ extensive laboratory network and channel resources across China, both parties will jointly establish the “Greater China Nucleic Acid Mass Spectrometry Demonstration Laboratory.” They aim to develop and consolidate customer and expert resources in fields such as genetic disorders, pharmacogenomics, and infectious diseases; promote expert consensus on clinical application guidelines for nucleic acid mass spectrometry diagnostic projects and establish industry technical application standards; enhance distribution and service network capabilities for clinical hospitals; and advance the research and development, clinical application, and industrialization of genomic diagnostic technologies.

Agena Bioscience, Inc. (formerly Sequenom, Inc.) is an innovative, high-tech biotechnology company whose product portfolio includes mass spectrometry instruments for nucleic acid analysis, along with complementary reagents and consumables. The company is dedicated to developing highly sensitive, accurate, and cost-effective mass spectrometry-based genetic analysis technologies, providing superior solutions for research and clinical applications in pharmacogenomics, genetic disorders, oncology, non-invasive prenatal screening, and quantitative DNA methylation analysis.

Its core technology platform—the MassARRAY nucleic acid mass spectrometry clinical application system—is built upon mass spectrometry technology to analyze gene locus mutations and certain copy number variations (CNVs). It offers advantages such as high accuracy, high sensitivity, flexible throughput, simplicity and speed, low cost, and no need for complex bioinformatics analysis. Currently, this system has been deployed in 37 countries worldwide and has become an ideal platform for clinical diagnosis, significantly supporting precise clinical diagnostics in areas including prenatal diagnosis, newborn screening, personalized tumor diagnosis, genetic disease screening, pharmacogenomics, infectious diseases, and cardiovascular conditions.

Peter Dansky, Global President of Agena, began by expressing his admiration for the speed of decision-making and the pace of change in China. He also stated that Agena’s mission is to improve clinical decision-making by providing advanced and cost-effective diagnostic technologies, thereby enabling physicians and their patients to achieve precision medicine. Dian Diagnostics shares Agena’s strategic vision and values, and boasts a nationwide network of clinical testing services as well as extensive sales channels for clinical diagnostic products, making it an ideal partner for Agena.Together, the two parties will forge a new path to improve medical decision-making for millions of Chinese people and enhance the current state of healthcare in China.

Chairman Chen Haibin reviewed the development journey of Dian Diagnostics, stating that the company’s growth must transition from an era defined by speed, physical exertion, and breadth to one characterized by endurance, capability, and depth. Future development will undoubtedly be driven by technological innovation. As precision medicine relies on precise diagnosis, and the two primary technical platforms for precision diagnosis are gene sequencing and biological mass spectrometry, Dian Diagnostics has consistently focused on advancing the field of precision diagnosis in recent years.

This strategic partnership with Agena, leveraging complementary strengths, will combine Dian’s advantages in brand, distribution channels, capital, and services in China with the specific characteristics of the Chinese market to promote the localization and implementation of advanced international DNA mass spectrometry technology, thereby benefiting patients in China. Meanwhile, Dian Diagnostics will remain true to its original aspiration, uphold craftsmanship, pursue innovation, and strive to become a leader in the field of precision diagnostics in China, contributing to life sciences, Healthy Hangzhou, and Healthy China.

Mao Xihao, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hangzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and Secretary of the Yuhang District Committee, stated that Yuhang District will prioritize the biopharmaceutical industry as a key focus in its next phase of development. Therefore, the launch of the Sino-US Nucleic Acid Mass Spectrometry Project will inject new momentum into domestic R&D and industrialization. The establishment of this project in Yuhang is a significant boost to the rapidly growing Yuhang Economic and Technological Development Zone, and even to the development of the biopharmaceutical industry in Hangzhou.

Su Zhiliang, Party Group Member and Chief Engineer of the Zhejiang Provincial Food and Drug Administration, outlined the favorable landscape for medical device approval at both the national and provincial levels. He noted that the collaboration between Dian Diagnostics and Agena introduces advanced international technologies and equipment into Chinese manufacturing, aligning with initiatives encouraged by the “Made in China 2025” strategy. This partnership holds significant importance for narrowing the gap between China and global leaders in the field and for enhancing the quality of clinical testing.We hope this collaboration will adopt a global perspective and stand at the forefront of the international arena, creating a world-class project in terms of quality, management, and innovation, thereby setting a benchmark for the development of China’s medical device industry.