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HKU’s patented technology “Flow-through hybridization” widely applied by biotech company listed in GEM of Shenzhen Stock Exchange

16 Oct 2017

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has invented a patented technology called “Flow-through hybridization”, and licensed it to Guangdong Hybribio Biotech Co., Ltd. A low density medical gene chip working platform, HybriMax, was developed based on the patented technology and further collaboration between HKU and Hybribio. HybriMax is the core system for future diagnostic kits produced by the same company.

HybriMax is an all-in-one integrated polymerase chain reaction (PCR), hybridization, and gene chip processing system based on HKU’s Flow-Through hybridization technology which allows analyzing nucleic acid in patient samples in a faster, simpler, and more economic manner.

After over ten years of development, Hybribio developed an automatic nucleic acid molecular diagnostic platform, and introduced 21 Human papillomavirus (HPV) GenoArray Diagnostic kit, 37 HPV GenoArray Diagnostic kit, α,β-THAL Detection Kit, sexually transmitted disease (STD) Detection Kits, Deaf gene diagnostic kit to the market. These kits have been approved by China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) and obtained European Conformity In Vitro Diagnostics (CE IVD) licenses, and have been extensively used in medical and research laboratories in European and Asian countries such as Spain, Turkey, China, Japan, Thailand and The Philippines. More than 2 million tests have applied the technology with sound feedback. Currently, more than 1,200 hospitals and medical institutes in China have adopted this HPV diagnostic technology and about 1,000 medical organizations in more than 20 countries around the globe have been using its products for clinical and research purposes. This flow-through hybridization platform along with HPV diagnostic kit series has been performed in over 15 million women and prevented hundreds and thousands of women from developing cervical cancer, a major malignancy in women health.

Hybribio’s patent “Human papillomavirus genotyping diagnostic kit and method for preparing gene chip thereof” was awarded gold medal in the 18th Chinese Outstanding Patented Invention & Industrial Design in 2016, the only gold medal awardee in the in vitro diagnostic field in that year.

This patent is about the pioneering low density medical gene chip working platform developed by Hybribio. With the other two US patents of HKU, this platform not only solves the technical problems of time-consuming procedures and contamination in traditional hybridization, but also addresses the key problems in HPV genotyping and facilitated clinical follow-up and treatment on patients diagnosed with cervical cancer at early stage, and therefore out-competes the market leading technology from US, Hybrid Capture which is unable to distinguish the genotypes of the viruses.

On 12 April 2017, Hybribio was successfully listed in Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) of Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Versitech Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of HKU, is also one of the shareholders of Hybribio. The GEM listing will be the strategy step in development process for Hybribio. Hybribio will continue focus on the main business, to consolidate the cornerstone of enterprise development, and constantly increase the R&D and expansion capabilities of nucleic acid molecular diagnostic reagents and stem cell researches, by enhancing the R&D capabilities, improve the competitive advantage, to stride forward as the leading domestic molecular diagnostic, testing, and therapeutic provider in industry.

About Guangdong Hybribio Biotech Co., Ltd.
Hybribio is a leading provider for in vitro diagnostic assays in mainland China with fully integrated operation chain from R&D, manufacturing, sales & marketing to after-sales technical support service. Based on technological platforms such as their proprietary flow-through hybridization technology, real-time PCR technology, and high throughput sequencing, their two major R&D lines – infectious pathogens detection and genetic disease detection – include human papillomavirus (HPV), thalassemia, G6PD, hearing loss susceptibility, phenylketonuria (PKU), and early cancer detection etc. Its products have been widely used in the fields of clinical detection, large scale screening, and prenatal and neonatal management. Among all the diagnostic products, HPV diagnostic kit series play an important role in diagnostics and screening of cervical cancer, which makes Hybribio one of the top players in the market of molecular diagnostics.

Media enquiry:
Communications and Public Affairs Office Ms Rhea Leung (tel: 2857 8555; email: rhea.leung@hku.hk), or
Technology Transfer Office Ms Alice Ip (tel: 22990177, email: alice@tto.hku.hk)

HybriMax “Flow-through Hybridization” System.

Hybribio is successfully listed in Growth Enterprise Market of Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Production line of GeneChips by using the Automated Microarray Spotter.