NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – BGI Genomics and Turkish genomics healthcare company Genoks have expanded the scope of their collaboration, the companies announced today at the International Conference on Genomics in Shenzhen, China.
The updated collaboration involves BGI Genomics providing technical and strategic support to Genoks to expand the clinical genetic testing market in Turkey, as well as collaboration between the two firms regarding next-generation sequencing services for general research and drug development. The new agreement expands on a memorandum of understanding inked in 2013 and a business relationship in the field of non-invasive prenatal testing, the firms said. Genoks has been the exclusive distributor of BGI Genomics' NIFTY test since 2013.
After its successful IPO raising RMB 547 million ($80.6 million) earlier this year, BGI Genomics is expanding its clinical genomics business in the global market, with a strategy of supporting key local partners to deliver its tests, the company added.
"Our wide portfolio of genetic tests, many years of sequencing expertise, and proprietary sequencing platforms uniquely position BGI to meet the diverse business needs of our local genomics partners," Matt Poulter, BGI Genomics' global marketing manager, said in a statement. "We have worked closely with Genoks for more than five years and are pleased to expand this partnership to take advantage of the significant potential that the Turkish market offers in the field of clinical genomics and sequencing services for research."