Cambridge, UK, 27th April 2017 – Congenica, a world leader in clinical genomics software for inherited diseases, today announced completion of its recently announced Series B funding round with additional investments from new strategically important investors BGI Genomics (BGI), a recognized global leader in genomics, Healthlink Capital (Healthlink), another well-established China-based life-science investor and Future Planet Capital, a global innovation fund.
Alongside investing, BGI Genomics and UniteGen, Healthlink’s associated clinical diagnostic lab, have signed commercial contracts to use Congenica’s proprietary enterprise software, Sapientia™ to support their operations in China. These contracts represent Congenica’s first commercialisation in the territory and are consistent with Congenica’s international ambitions.
Tom Weaver, CEO at Congenica said: “This additional investment enhances our ability and commitment to deploy our software platform to international markets. Particularly China, where we have established a scalable partnering model to transform the clinical genetic testing market. Genomic technology will be central to the next generation healthcare system that is evolving rapidly in China and we are delighted to be working with strategic partners, both at the financial and commercial level, who are at the forefront of that change and committed to the benefits it will bring to patients”
BGI Genomics, one of the world’s largest DNA sequencing service provider, will use Sapientia as a genome annotation and clinical decision support platform for in-house programs and through its BGI-online service, enabling the adoption of genome-based genetic diagnosis in routine diagnostic testing.
Ning Li, Chief Development Officer at BGI Genomics, said: “The unrivalled integrated end-to-end solution provided by BGI’s powerful BGI Online platform and Congenica’s authoritative Sapientia software offers multiple advantages for our partners.”
John Qiu, co-founder and President of Healthlink, said: “We are excited to invest in Congenica as the company pushes for international adoption and expansion, particularly to large population bases in the US and China. We believe that, as whole genome analysis becomes mainstream, Congenica’s sophisticated data interpretation and clinical reporting platform has the potential to serve as a foundational tool for next-generation rare genetic disease diagnosis and treatment in a number of pre-birth and pediatric care and research applications in China, particularly as birth rates rise following the relaxation of the one-child rule.”
Weike Mo, founder and CEO of UniteGen, said: “Partnering with Congenica, a highly-regarded global leader for genomic data analysis and clinical data integration, is a significant milestone for UniteGen. Sapientia incorporates all the features needed by Chinese healthcare practitioners to integrate genetic testing into clinical decisions. The automated reporting software solves a critical bottleneck for the genetic testing industry in China.”
Douglas Hansen-Luke, Executive Chairman at Future Planet Capital, commented: “We invest in companies that have the potential to not only be commercially successful but also have global impact. Congenica has the potential to accomplish both, building traction in China, the US and the Middle East where our investors are very actively engaged and wish to see direct benefit to their healthcare systems. Congenica’s technology is a game-changer by enabling doctors to diagnose the un-diagnosable.”
Andy Richards, Congenica’s Chairman, added: “With three new investors joining the syndicate, we have formally closed what has been a highly successful financing round. We are now well capitalised and strongly positioned with sophisticated and supportive investors to execute on our international expansion plans and to continue innovating and developing our Sapientia platform.”