Agena Bioscience, a life sciences and clinical diagnostics company, has named Bioyong Technology, engaged in life science services and instrument distribution, as the fifth certified service provider (CSP) for its MassARRAY platform in China.

"The Chinese genetics field is advancing at unprecedented speed. It is a hotbed for practical, meaningful innovations that are improving human health both in China and for the rest of the world. We are proud to support the medical and scientific genetics community in China," said Peter Dansky, Agena Bioscience's chief executive officer.

"Bioyong performs exceptional science that has supported a number of top flight institutes in China, such as the PLA General Hospital and Xiangya Hospital, that are involved in the clinical diagnostics field, including novel prenatal screens and ctDNA analyses. Bioyong has also contributed to China Agricultural University's advancements in molecular breeding applications," said Dansky.

"Chinese researchers are attracted to the MassARRAY system's high sensitivity, multiplexing, and easy assay development at a reasonable cost, particularly in comparison to other methods for genetic analysis. MassARRAY data helps answer difficult questions with immediate applications very quickly," said Ma Qingwei, founder and chief executive officer of Bioyong.

Bioyong's partners include many of the leading Chinese institutions driving rapid advancements in medical and agricultural genetics.

Bioyong has provided MassARRAY services since 2008. Agena Bioscience's other certified service providers in China and Taiwan are CT Bioscience, Feng Chi Biotech, Wuhan Kindstar, and Shanghai Benegene Biotechnology.

The MassARRAY system detects genetic variation directly by end-point PCR and label-free mass spectrometry. Due to the high confidence level mass spectrometry provides, MassARRAY data is frequently used to validate variants detected from genome sequencing in research and clinical settings. The platform's open-source nature and simple bioinformatics allows laboratories to develop targeted, actionable panels for routine or specialized assays for as little as tens of dollars per test.