This partnership aims to promote large scale application of Genetron’s S5 platform and lung cancer 8-gene IVD assay in Chinese hospitals, in order to provide non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with efficient and accurate personalized diagnosis and treatment guidance. The companies also plan to work together to standardize cancer molecular testing in hospitals.

Representing Genetron Health at the signing ceremony in Shanghai were Co-founder and CEO Sizhen Wang, and Vice President Zhaohui Yin. Elisabeth Staudinger, President of Siemens Healthineers Asia Pacific, and Guo Yiming, Vice President of Siemens Healthineers Laboratory Diagnostic System, Greater China Region, also attended the event.

“Genetron Health focuses on the innovation, clinical transformation and commercialization of cancer genomics technologies. Both our lab developed test (LDT) and in vitro diagnostic (IVD) products’ business models have been progressing well,” said Sizhen Wang, Co-founder and CEO of Genetron Health. “We are pleased to collaborate with Siemens Healthineers for our S5 instrument and lung 8 IVD assay, which helps diagnose and treat cancer patients. We also expect this partnership to help standardize cancer molecular testing in China, and reach more patients in need,” Wang said.

“As a global leader in healthcare technology, Siemens Healthineers stays committed to addressing the needs of patients. To help Chinese cancer patients access quality care, we are not only introducing cutting-edge testing analyzers and reagents to China, but are also working with local innovators to offer personalized diagnostics. We are excited to forge a strategic partnership with Genetron Health, an industry leading precision oncology platform company. Meanwhile, we expect to push forward precision care in the field of lung cancer, therefore contributing to the vision of a Healthy China,” said Guo Yiming, Vice President of Laboratory Diagnostics, Siemens Healthineers Greater China.

At present, lung cancer is one of the most serious diseases in China, placing the highest amongst morbidity and mortality rankings of all cancer types. In China, 787,000 cases of lung cancer are diagnosed every year, with about 631,000 deaths ^[1] caused annually as well. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer. In recent years, with the development of more advanced diagnostics and the emergence of targeted drugs, more NSCLC patients have been able to receive quicker and more accurate treatment. As the "first step" of targeted therapy for lung cancer, cancer molecular gene detection is the key to guided clinical treatment and drug applications. The U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN) Guidelines for NSCLC also recommend that molecular testing of lung cancer-related genes be used to guide targeted therapies for NSCLC patients. Accurate lung cancer gene detection for NSCLC patients can help clinicians opt for more precise treatment.

Based on Genetron Health’s One-Step Seq technology (Chinese invention patent ZL 201710218529.4), the lung cancer 8-gene IVD assay can detect many mutations and fusions across 8 different genes at once, for targeted therapy selection in NSCLC. The assay can offer patients rapid and accurate molecular typing, medication guidance and drug resistance monitoring. Combined with Genetron S5, it offers advantages in detection efficiency, ease of use, economic cost, sample size, and can achieve a two-day turnaround time. It is suitable for independent clinical molecular testing in Chinese hospitals at all levels.