MGI Tech Co., Ltd. (MGI), a company dedicated to developing core tools and technologies that drive innovation in life sciences, announced entering into an exclusive licensing agreement through its US subsidiaries – MGI US LLC and Complete Genomics Inc. – with Swiss Rockets AG, a Switzerland-based biotech firm, for the research, development, manufacture, and commercialization of exclusive sequencing products based on MGI's CoolMPS™ technology and non-exclusive accessory products outside the Asia-Pacific and Greater China regions (i.e., Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan). The strategic partnership is set to fully unlock the patent value and productisation capabilities of CoolMPS, complementing MGI's tried-and-true StandardMPS™ technology and cementing the company's leadership in the field of genomic sequencing.

CoolMPS technology, distinguished by its innovative antibody-based recognition chemistry, represents a breakthrough in sequencing by eliminating DNA "scarring", a common issue found in conventional long-read methods. It employs nucleotides with natural bases and extension blocks, combined with labelled antibodies that are both base-specific and block-dependent. The CoolMPS method links each nucleotide with labelled multiple fluorescent dye antibodies.

Deployed on MGI's DNBSEQ™ platforms, CoolMPS delivers sequencing reads reaching up to 600 to 700 bases, covering comprehensive genome, transcriptome, and microbiome analyses. Its high fidelity enables crucial applications, including early cancer detection and monitoring through whole genome sequencing-based assays, providing scientists, researchers and the wider life science sector with longer and more accurate reads at reduced costs.

Under the licensing agreement, Swiss Rockets is granted exclusive rights to MGI's CoolMPS-related intellectual property, including patents, know-how, and software, to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialise relevant products for global markets excluding Asia-Pacific and Greater China.