NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Qiagen and BGI Tech Solutions said today that they have signed a distribution and service agreement that allows BGI Tech to provide services and support around Qiagen's Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) to customers in China.
Qiagen acquired HGMD when it purchased Biobase in May this year. HGMD is a comprehensive database of human inherited disease mutations for use in genetics and genomic research. Its features include over 152,000 mutation reports including specifics on genome coordinates, sequence details, and links to the source material. It also includes over 5,300 summary reports that cover known inherited disease mutations for various genes.
"Collaborating with Qiagen can enrich our scientific strengths in the fields of human genetics and complex diseases, and enable us to provide better services for our global collaborators," Yingrui Li, BGI Tech's CEO, said in a statement.
Frank Schacherer, Biobase's CTO, added that "new and existing HGMD customers in Greater China will benefit from local support and from a distributor with deep subject-matter expertise."
Financial and other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.