Curetis and MGI Advance Strategic Partnership in NGS-Based Molecular Microbiology
– Inked new collaboration and commercialization deals with MGI to leverage Curetis´ sample preparation technology
– Enabling short-term commercialization of NGS-based molecular microbiology
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Holzgerlingen, Germany, January 10, 2018; published at 01:00 am EST — Curetis N.V. (the “Company” and, together with Curetis GmbH, “Curetis”), a developer of next-level molecular diagnostic solutions, today announced that the Company is advancing its strategic alliance in NGS-based infectious disease testing. To this end, Curetis has signed a Supply and Authorization Agreement as well as a further R&D Collaboration and Service Agreement with MGI, a fully-owned subsidiary of BGI Group, one of the world’s leading genome sequencing centers headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, P. R. China.
The parties aim to integrate Curetis´ patented Unyvero Lysator-based sample preparation technology and MGI’s NGS next generation sequencing technology to develop a fully automated workflow that allows the processing of any type of native clinical sample with the subsequent NGS-based detection of microbial pathogens and genetic markers for antibiotic resistances. Under the terms of the agreement and subject to certain conditions, MGI will reimburse Curetis for supporting the workflow integration and transferring this advanced technology, and pay technology access fees, a transfer price on OEM hardware and consumables, and royalties on product sales. Further financial details were not disclosed.
In addition, the partners expect to further execute the strategic roadmap set forth in their Memorandum of Understanding signed in September 2017 by also advancing their collaboration to develop a targeted NGS assay for microbial infections based on the GEAR GEnetic Antibiotic Resistance and Susceptibility technology platform and database from Ares Genetics GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of Curetis.
The Companies are further exploring commercial collaboration opportunities to fast track market development and commercialization of NGS-based molecular microbiology offerings in China and Europe.
“We are excited that we were able to take the next step in our strategic alliance with MGI based on our Memorandum of Understanding signed in September last year,” said Dr. Achim Plum, CBO of Curetis and a Managing Director at Ares Genetics. “This deal highlights the importance of our proprietary Unyvero technology for an efficient and fast diagnosis of infectious diseases and underlines the uniqueness of our Unyvero Lysator technology.”
“With the recent launch of two next-generation sequencing platforms, MGISEQ-2000 and MGISEQ-200, the modular NGS workstation MGIFLP, we have demonstrated that we are constantly thriving to improve the design, integration and automation of our solutions to allow our customers to use NGS-based applications in their labs efficiently and at a lower cost,” said Mr. Feng Mu, CEO and Managing Director of MGI. “We believe our customers will greatly benefit from the Curetis Unyvero sample preparation technology as it provides a solution that works with any clinical sample to make NGS-based molecular pathogen identification and genetic resistance profiling even faster and easier. As we belive that this market is rapidly evolving, we are also exploring ways to collaborate with Curetis and Ares to fast track market development and commercialization of our molecular microbiology offerings in China and Europe.”
“MGI is a first mover in the NGS space of infectious disease diagnostics in terms of workflow integration, automation and affordability,” said Dr. Oliver Schacht, CEO of Curetis. “Therefore, they are a great partner of strategic relevance for us. The collaboration enables new commercial opportunities for both of our technologies, Unyvero and GEAR.”
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About MGI
MGI (MGI Tech Co., Limited) is a part of BGI Group, one of the world’s largest genomics organizations. BGI Group was founded in 1999 with the vision of using genomics to benefit humanity and has been growing exponentially since then. With a focus on research and applications in the healthcare, agriculture, conservation, and environmental fields, BGI Group has a proven track record of innovative, high profile research and operates China National Genome Bank through governmental contracts.
MGI is dedicated to develop, manufacture and distribute instruments, reagents and devices/assays through innovation and collaboration. Since its acquisition of CGI (Complete Genomics Incorporation), MGI adsorbed its technologies quickly and developed a serial of genetic sequencers such as BGISEQ1000, BGISEQ500, and MGISEQ50 etc. MGI’s mission is to “Make Great Instrument and Make It Smart” so as to provide in a real time a digitized panoramic view of a living thing at all time and advance life science to service genomics, proteomics and beyond.
About Curetis and Ares Genetics
Founded in 2007, Curetis is a molecular diagnostics company which focuses on the development and commercialization of reliable, fast and cost-effective products for diagnosing severe infectious diseases. The diagnostic solutions of Curetis enable rapid multi-parameter pathogen and antibiotic resistance marker detection in only a few hours, a process that today can take up to days or even weeks with other techniques.
To date, Curetis has raised EUR 44.3 million in an IPO on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels and private equity funds of over EUR 63.5 million. Furthermore, Curetis has entered into a debt financing facility with EIB for up to EUR 25 million. The company is based in Holzgerlingen near Stuttgart, Germany. Curetis collaborates with Heraeus Medical, pharmaceutical companies, and has entered into several international distribution agreements covering many countries across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
In 2017, Curetis established Ares Genetics GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Curetis GmbH in Vienna, Austria. Ares Genetics is dedicated to maximize the R&D and related scientific and business opportunities of the GEAR assets acquired in 2016 for the entire Curetis Group.
For further information, please visit www.curetis.com.
Curetis’ Contact Details
Curetis GmbH
Max-Eyth-Str. 42
71088 Holzgerlingen, Germany
Tel. +49 7031 49195-10
pr@curetis.com or ir@curetis.com
www.curetis.com – www.unyvero.com