Opening of MGI Latvia Builds Foundation for China-Europe Life Science Cooperation

RIGA, Latvia, Nov. 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MGI officially opened a new R&D and manufacturing facility in Riga, Latvia today, aiming to build a bridge between China and Europe for health science innovation.

The new MGI Latvia facility includes a product manufacturing center, high-throughput sequencing center, training center and logistics center. MGI will also establish a China-Europe Life Health Innovation Center at the site to strengthen cooperation in life science research and commercial applications, promoting international large-scale genome projects and enhancing exchanges between Chinese and European enterprises.

Ralfs Nemiro, Minister of Economic Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, said, "MGI's world-leading genetic sequencing technology and equipment will help us to better develop scientific research capabilities in life science and promote development advantages."

Liang Jianquan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China in Latvia, noted that this is the first life science and technology center set up by a Chinese enterprise in central and eastern Europe. "I believe this project will strengthen the cooperation between China and Latvia to achieve more common ground," he said.

MGI President Duncan Yu said the base in Latvia is a key investment for the development of European business and an important step for MGI's globalization. "Based on Latvia's existing biotechnology foundation, MGI is confident to form a life science innovation platform centered on 'gene technology' in Europe using its leading products and technology. This will help build a complete technical service support system and product supply chain to efficiently meet the needs of customers and build deep experience in the European market."

Currently one of the EU member states, Latvia developed expertise as a center for new drug research and development in the former Soviet Union. The biotechnology industry is also one of the country's important development strategies.

MGI's Latvia base will accelerate its global R&D, manufacturing and market network in Asia, Europe and the Americas, building a global ecosystem. The new 7,000 square-meter facility is located in the Lidostas Park about one kilometer from Riga International Airport.

The newly launched Latvia facility will support important research projects such as the Million Microbiome of Humans Project (MMHP), launched in October to sequence and analyze one million microbial samples. Today in Riga, BGI Research and MGI announced a new collaboration with scientists from around the world for single-cell RNA sequencing of 10 million cells. The 10 Million Single-Cell Transcriptome Project (scT10M) aims to build a comprehensive single cell map to be shared with the scientific community for better understanding of life science, including human health and disease, systems biology, evolution, development and biodiversity.

As the representative of top scientific research institutions in Europe, Professor Lars Engstrand of the Karolinska Institutet said: "I believe that this facility will attract more top European research and innovation projects, and I look forward to producing more scientific research results in the future."