Huawei, a global information and communications technology provider, and WuXi AppTec, a global open-access R&D platform, have announced the signing of a strategic framework agreement to support the China Precision Medicine Initiative (China PMI) through the creation of a state-of the-art precision medicine cloud platform. The agreement builds on Huawei's capabilities and reach in cloud infrastructure, and the genomics and precision medicine expertise of WuXi NextCODE, the global genomic information and precision medicine subsidiary of WuXi AppTec.

Cloud computing is the way genomic big data will be used to drive precision medicine innovation and deliver better healthcare in a cost-efficient manner. WuXi AppTec and Huawei will follow the guidance of the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) and work closely with third-party secure life-science cloud providers to develop the data standards and exchange framework required to deliver the China PMI.

"We are excited and honored to be working with Huawei as our key public cloud technology partner to support the China PMI," said Dr. Ge Li, chairman and CEO of WuXi AppTec. "This partnership aims to deliver the benefits of genomic medicine to patients on an unprecedented scale, and together we have the world-leading technology to achieve that ambition."

"This partnership is a win-win-win—for our companies and for the patients that will benefit from the vision of the China PMI," said Hannes Smarason, COO of WuXi NextCODE. "Our technology underpins genome-driven medicine at Genomics England, the Qatar Genome Project, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and in China at Fudan University. We are thrilled to be deploying it with Huawei across China, a key part of our strategy to advance a global standard for turning the genome into better health."