Macrogen partners with PacBio to create SE Asia’s largest genomic database

Macrogen, a Korean biotech company specializing in precision medicine, said Wednesday it has partnered with PacBio, an American biotechnology company, to establish the Precision Health Research Singapore (PRECISE) project. 

Under the contract, PRECISE will use PacBio’s Revio HiFi sequencing system for its Long-Read Sequencing Flagship Project, which aims to create Southeast Asia’s largest long-read sequencing database.

Launched in 2017 as part of Singapore’s 10-year National Precision Medicine (NPM) strategy, PRECISE seeks to integrate Asian genomic data with advanced healthcare solutions to enhance patient outcomes. The project will analyze the genomes of Singapore’s diverse population to provide deeper insights into genetic diversity, disease mechanisms, and clinical diagnostics. 

Christian Henry, CEO of PacBio, said that building 10,000 datasets requires accurate, large-scale, and cost-effective HiFi technology. “PacBio’s Revio system provides a uniquely differentiated solution to meet these needs,” he said. “It’s only natural for Macrogen to select PacBio’s genomic analysis solutions for the PRECISE project.”

PacBio’s Revio system analyzes whole genomes using long-read sequencing, allowing for the detection of large-scale structural variations and DNA methylation changes that are challenging for traditional short-read sequencing methods. These alterations, which include deletions, duplications, translocations, and inversions, can be influenced by disease, aging, and environmental factors. 

Many diseases, especially complex ones like cancer, are linked to these structural variations, a Macrogen official said.

“DNA methylation patterns regulate gene activation and repression, and analyzing these patterns helps us understand gene function and regulatory mechanisms,” the Macrogen official explained. “Accurate detection of these variations improves our understanding of disease causes and progression.”

Macrogen aims to use high-quality genomic data to better interpret complex genetic regions and advance treatments for rare diseases, the official added. 

“Participating in the PRECISE project will solidify Macrogen’s position as a leader in precision medicine,” Macrogen CEO Kim Chang-hoon said. “Our collaboration with PacBio will significantly advance genomic analysis and precision medicine in Singapore, fostering world-class research and development.”