MGI Partners with Gencell to Expand Genomics in Latin America

Bogotá, Colombia, 22th September, 2023- MGI, a company committed to building core tools and technology to lead life science, is thrilled to announce a strategic partnership with Gencell, a health company focused on molecular biology and genetic services in Colombia and the broader LATAM region. This collaboration capitalizes on the expertise and established market presence of Gencell and integrates MGI's state-of-the-art sequencers based on DNBSEQ technology, to enhance data analysis capabilities.

The healthcare landscape in Latin America is currently a worldwide priority. Factors such as increasing awareness of precision medicine, the growing prevalence of genetic disorders, and the need for advanced diagnostics and personalized treatments have driven the adoption of NGS technologies in the region. Nevertheless, funding availability, high instrument costs, and high cost to maintain the facility have delayed substantial growth in the region. Considering the increasing demand for NGS testing in cancer diagnosis and genetic screening, businesses in Latin America are now giving priority to supporting laboratories in enhancing their NGS-testing capabilities. Laboratories, in turn, are likely to focus on seeking affordable solutions and improving the speed of sample processing to meet the rising demand.

Gencell is emerging as a leading provider of sequencing services in the region. Operating from two molecular laboratories located in Bogota, Colombia, Gencell has a current capacity of processing, analyzing and reporting about 1500 whole exome sequencing and 1000 whole genome sequencing cases per month. This capacity is expected to continually expand as the country accelerates its progress towards becoming a regional leader in this sector, thereby elevating its medical capacity and knowledge at the national level.

"LATAM is becoming a strategic region for developing human genome studies that allow for a deeper understanding of diseases in the region. Embracing the potential of NGS, we are on the path to advancing the understanding of health and disease, thereby contributing to the creation of medical solutions that are better suited to the specific genetic needs of our population," states Andrés Zapata, General Manager of Gencell, "MGI has proven to be a great partner because they truly understand the challenges that LATAM NGS companies and labs facing. With their technology, aiming to lead the charge in driving the development of genomics research and applications in LATAM and beyond", he added.

"With affordable cost of sequencing, many new clinical applications in LATAM will be open, and the goal of improving human health through genomics research will also being realized, and better cancer treatments, advances in longevity, groundbreaking medicines and vaccines will realized eventually", says Yongwei Zhang, General Manager of MGI LATAM region.

Gencell now has a complete workflow with MGI including high-throughput sequencer DNBSEQ-T7RS* and DNBSEQ-G400RS*, lab automated sample preparation MGISP960 and MGISP100, and data platform appliance ZTRON. By merging respective strengths and expertise, MGI and Gencell are committed to expediting the adoption of cutting-edge sequencing technologies and advancing superior patient care throughout the region.

Click and check the video about how MGI enhances the NGS capabilities in LATAM…

About MGI

MGI Tech Co., Ltd. (or its affiliates, "MGI"), headquartered in Shenzhen, is committed to building core tools and technology to lead life science through intelligent innovation. Based on its proprietary technology, MGI focuses on research & development, production, and sales of sequencing instruments*, reagents*, and related products to support life science research, agriculture, precision medicine and healthcare. As of December 31, 2022, MGI has more than 2,800 employees, and 36% of whom are R&D personnel. Founded in 2016, MGI operates in more than 90 countries and regions, serving more than 2,000 customers. For more information, please visit the MGI website or connect on  Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube

* For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.