HONG KONG, March 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Zhao Lijian, CEO of BGI Genomics, provided fresh insights on the company’s vision during an exclusive interview with Uzbekistan’s National Television on Channel O’zbekiston24. This discussion was part of the “Focusing on the History of Uzbekistan-China Relations and Development in the New Era” program. Zhao highlighted BGI Genomics’ commitment to bolstering health outcomes through precision medicine and advanced genetic testing solutions.

“As one of the leading companies in the biotechnology field, BGI Genomics aims to bring precision medicine and advanced genetic testing solutions to Uzbekistan and enhance health outcomes of local people, ” said Zhao Lijian.

Zhao Lijian, CEO of BGI Genomics, being interviewed by Uzbekistan's National Television.
Zhao Lijian, CEO of BGI Genomics, being interviewed by Uzbekistan’s National Television.

With the support of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology and Innovation of Uzbekistan, we jointly established the Genscreen laboratory in Tashkent. Genscreen is one of the first clinical laboratories in the country, equipped with high-throughput sequencing (NGS) and mass spectrometry. Operational since June 2023, it currently provides BGI Genomics non-invasive prenatal testing NIFTY® and NOVA™ Newborn Genetic Screening.

In Uzbekistan, six major cancers, breast, stomach, lung, cervical, colorectal, and liver, account for more than half of cancer incidence and mortality based on WHO statistics.

That is why Viktoriya Tsay, Genscreen’s CEO, says, “There’s room for screening and early detection of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers to reduce personal and public health expenses.”

In particular, COLOTECT™, a colorectal cancer screening test, promises greater accessibility, as it is a non-invasive solution, unlike a colonoscopy, and allows individuals to conduct this test in the comfort of their homes. Viktoriya comments: “Increasing accessibility is crucial to boost survival rates as colorectal cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage due to the lack of symptoms. When this cancer is detected early, the 5-year relative survival rate is about 90%.”

About BGI Genomics:

BGI Genomics, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is the world’s leading integrated solutions provider of precision medicine. Our services cover more than 100 countries and regions, involving more than 3,000 medical institutions. In July 2017, as a subsidiary of BGI Group, BGI Genomics (300676.SZ) was officially listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.