SHENZHEN, China, 18 March 2021 — MGI Tech Co., Ltd., a global life science technology innovator, is supporting African countries with limited resources as they respond to a surge in local COVID-19 cases.
New COVID-19 variants identified in parts of Africa have raised global concern. In a recent study published in Nature, researchers suggested that certain emerging variants may reduce the effectiveness of existing vaccines and increase the likelihood of reinfection. The study also reported that the variant first identified in South Africa showed increased resistance to some monoclonal antibodies currently used to treat COVID-19 patients.
MGI recently supplied the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Nigeria’s leading medical research institute, with a DNBSEQ-G50 genetic sequencer and the MGISP-100 robotic nucleic acid extraction and sample preparation system. The instruments will support Nigeria’s public health authorities in genomic surveillance of infectious disease strains.
“The system will also help prepare Nigeria in the fight against Lassa fever virus, Yellow fever, Ebola and other infectious agents characterised by their genetic code,” said Adeleke Mamora, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health.
MGI also provided a DNBSEQ-G50 sequencer to a key national COVID-19 testing laboratory in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The instrument will support the country’s efforts to strengthen virus detection and genomic surveillance of COVID-19 variants.
MGI’s technologies are designed to improve the speed, efficiency and affordability of laboratory workflows. The DNBSEQ-G50, based on proprietary DNBSEQ technology, is a compact benchtop sequencer that supports a range of applications including medical research, clinical diagnostics and agriculture. The MGISP-100 automated workstation prepares biological samples for high-throughput sequencing, reducing manual handling and improving laboratory safety.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, MGI has supported pandemic response efforts in multiple countries, including China, Thailand, Latvia, Sweden and Australia.
MGI Tech Co., Ltd. is committed to enabling accessible and affordable healthcare solutions worldwide. The company’s multi-omics platforms include reagents, medical imaging systems, laboratory automation and genetic sequencing technologies designed to support research and future healthcare development.
