NEW YORK – Chinese genomics firm Berry Genomics said on Monday that it has inked a partnership with Saudi Arabia's Ajlan & Bros Holding to establish a joint venture that will focus on reproductive health genetic testing.
The collaboration will be carried out by Berry subsidiary Xcelom Limited and Ajlan & Bros Medical Company, an Ajlan & Bros Holding subsidiary. The two companies will fully integrate their technology, scientific research, and industrial and strategic resources to introduce DNA-based noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and other genetic testing products to the Saudi Arabian and Middle Eastern markets, Berry said. The companies said they also plan to launch local genetic testing laboratories.
Financial terms of the collaboration were undisclosed.
"We value Berry Genomics' technology and R&D capabilities in professional fields such as gene sequencing and clinical applications," Ajlan Mohammed Alajlan, deputy group CEO of Ajlan & Bros Holding, said in a statement. "We look forward to seeing this joint venture spur the development of the Saudi pharmaceutical and health industries and improve the lives of the Saudi people."
"Entering overseas markets will encourage us to continue to refine our products and services to suit different groups of people as well as meet a wider range of clinical needs," Gao Yang, Berry Genomics' chairman and general manager, said in a statement.