Bayer Watson and Berry Genomics Forge Strategic Partnership to Advance Watson for Genomics in China

On September 12, Baiyang Smart Technology, a subsidiary of Baiyang Pharmaceutical Group, signed a cooperation agreement with Berry Genomics in Beijing. The two parties will leverage their respective resources to effectively promote the implementation and development of Watson for Genomics (hereinafter referred to as WfG) in China. This collaboration marks the first introduction of the WfG solution into China’s oncology treatment system.

Fu Gang, Chairman of Baiyang Smart Technology; Gao Yang, Chairman of Berry Genomics; Wang Biquan, CMO of Baiyang Smart Technology; and Zhou Daixing, CEO of Berry Genomics, attended the signing ceremony.

In recent years, the gene sequencing industry has gradually matured. The global market size for gene sequencing approached $6 billion in 2015 and nearly $7 billion in 2016. It is projected to exceed $12 billion by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17%–19%.

With continuous economic development and the standardization of the sequencing market, China’s sequencing market has experienced significant growth, becoming the country with the fastest-growing global genetic testing market size. The market size was approximately RMB 5.4 billion in 2016 and is projected to exceed RMB 10 billion by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 20%–25%.

The industrial chain in the field of genetic technology is straightforward, comprising sample collection, gene sequencing, and software analysis. Large-scale application must be built upon the accumulation and interpretation of massive genomic data. Therefore, gene sequencing products and bioinformatics analysis represent the bottlenecks and core components of the genetic testing niche market, with data interpretation being the most valuable segment of the entire industry.As a leader in liquid biopsy ctDNA testing within the industry, Berry Genomics utilizes non-invasive biopsy technology to detect DNA fragments shed by cancer cells into the bloodstream. Numerous medical studies have demonstrated that gene sequencing can yield more clinically actionable mutation detection results. However, to help patients obtain precise treatment plans, rapid clinical interpretation of these test results is essential. Relying solely on manual analysis is highly time-consuming. For cancer patients who require swift and accurate treatment, time is of the essence. Therefore, the introduction of the WfG solution is key to enabling the large-scale application of precision oncology care.

The onset and progression of most tumors are accompanied by multiple forms of genetic variations. The human body carries nearly 500 cancer-related genes, which can manifest in approximately 10 million different types of genetic variation expressions. It is understood that currently, the world’s leading non-AI gene sequencing companies can identify no more than 100,000 types of genetic variations. Manually interpreting such complex and massive amounts of tumor genetic variation information often consumes a significant amount of time. Furthermore, due to inconsistent expertise among interpreters and a scarcity of comprehensive gene databases, it is difficult to avoid omissions during the interpretation process. Therefore, precision oncology requires an accurate and comprehensive intelligent decision-support assistant.The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of North Carolina, a top-tier U.S. cancer research institute, conducted a comprehensive evaluation study on WfG. Over the course of one year, 20 tumor patients were enrolled weekly. WfG not only completed in 10 minutes the interpretation tasks that required an expert team a full week to accomplish, but also achieved a 99% consistency rate between its interpretation results and the treatment recommendations provided by the expert team. Additionally, WfG offered more targeted therapy options for over 30% of the patients.

Berry Genomics CEO Zhou Daixing said, “Genomic sequencing and precise data analysis are essential for achieving precision medicine in oncology patients, with primary applications in two areas.First, detection of targets for tumor-targeted drugs and dynamic monitoring of treatment. This involves testing whether patients carry specific drug targets prior to the administration of molecular targeted therapies, thereby improving medication efficiency and reducing waste caused by inappropriate drug use. Meanwhile, continuous monitoring during and after treatment provides precise auxiliary evidence for follow-up visits, efficacy evaluation, and other aspects of clinical management. Second, genetic susceptibility testing for diseases, which aims to identify disease-causing genes or determine whether patients carry susceptibility genes, so as to identify suitable targeted therapies or other treatment modalities for the patient.Our collaboration with Baiyang Intelligent Technology on the WfG solution can help patients improve the precision of their treatment.。“

Currently,The WfG solution already supports 92 subtypes across 19 categories of tumors, including but not limited to common solid tumors such as lung cancer and breast cancer, hematologic malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, as well as cancers of unknown primary origin and rare tumors.. Meanwhile, WfG has established collaborative networks with expert teams from 14 top-tier cancer centers and independent medical laboratories in the United States, thereby standardizing clinical interpretation.

Fu Gang, Chairman of Baiyang Intelligent Technology, stated, “We are honored to enter into a strategic partnership with Berry Genomics. With 4.3 million cancer patients in China each year, the growing number of cancer cases has placed immense pressure on physicians. The rapid development of the gene sequencing market in recent years has highlighted the urgent need for personalized medicine. Therefore, we have introduced Watson for Genomics (WfG), the most mature solution in the field of cognitive computing for healthcare, to China. Its knowledge base is updated one to two times per month, incorporating 10,000 scientific articles and 100 clinical trials with each update. It can review 200 million pages of literature within three seconds and present unstructured evidence in a structured format, thereby avoiding omissions in the clinical interpretation of genetic variants and providing cancer patients with greater opportunities for survival. This collaboration between Baiyang Watson and Berry Genomics, based on the Watson for Genomics solution, is the first of its kind in China. We will jointly promote the practical implementation of precision medicine solutions.”

As the core entity of Baiyang Pharmaceutical Group’s internet application ecosystem, Baiyang Intelligent Technology is committed to improving health through technology. Since entering into a strategic partnership with IBM Watson Health on March 28 this year,Watson for Oncology consultation centers have been established in 23 tertiary general hospitals across nine provinces and municipalities in China.This partnership with Berry Genomics represents a significant milestone, marking Baiyang Watson’s full entry into the gene technology sector and substantially broadening the application scenarios for cognitive healthcare solutions.