BGI is granted patent in 16 countries for non-invasive prenatal genetic test technology

Patent for non-invasive BGI prenatal test granted by European Patent Office and State Intellectual Property Office of China

October 10, 2014, Shenzhen, China-- The European Patent Office has issued patent number EP2561103B1 for invention to BGI for its independently researched non-invasive prenatal genetic test (NIPT) technology. This technology has been developed by BGI in connection with the provision of its market leading NIPT, the NIFTY® test. The patent is effective in 15 member countries including England, Belgium, Spain, Slovenia, Hungary, Sweden, Turkey, Switzerland, Italy, France, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland and Romania.

This patent was granted by the European Patent Office. This is the first patent for non-invasive prenatal genetic testing technology approved by the Europe Patent Office to a mainland Chinese registered company.

Meanwhile, the State Intellectual Property Office of China also issued a Notice of Grant of Patent Right to BGI, meaning that this patent has been granted domestically as well as internationally.

This global recognition for BGI\'s technology comes after BGI became the first non-invasive prenatal test provider to receive approval from government level for a second generation gene sequencing diagnostic product when it obtained approval from the CFDA in July, 2014.

As of August, 2014, BGI Dx, a subsidiary unit of BGI, has provided non-invasive prenatal genetic testing services via its NIFTY® test to nearly 400,000 pregnant women worldwide.

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This patent relates to non-invasive testing technology of fetal genetic abnormality, that was researched and developed independently by BGI, through carrying out DNA sequencing in blood samples of pregnant women, to non-invasively detect for fetal genetic abnormality.

BGI\'s technology involves use of a core algorithm for determining GC content differences in chromosomes, improving accuracy of the result. This technology is used in the test screening for the three most common trisomy conditions present at birth (trisomy 21, 18 and 13) but also covers screening for sex chromosomal conditions XO, XXX, XXY, XYY and certain deletion syndromes, and is included as part of the NIFTY® offering at no additional charge.

As a leader in the non-invasive prenatal genetic testing industry, BGI Dx has always devoted itself to independent research and development as well as to innovation connected to broader genomics technology conversion applications. BGI Dx has published more than 30 academic articles related to non-invasive prenatal genetic testing and has 72 relevant patent applications spreading over a dozen countries in Asia, America and Europe. NIFTY® is offered in more than 2000 healthcare providers covering 52 countries including England, Australia, Spain, Singapore, Israel, Czech Republic, Turkey, Thailand and China. As of August 2014, nearly 400,000 test samples have been processed with accuracy rate for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 of more than 99.9%.