Chinese contract research organization (CRO) WuXi AppTec has entered into a partnership with Netherlands holding company Qiagen to provide biomarker development, validation and personalized healthcare diagnostics. Neither company provided the financial details of the agreement.

Under the terms of the partnership, Qiagen will provide instrumentation, training and consumables at WuXi’s Shanghai campus, and Wuxi will provide the laboratory facilities and the staff. The two companies will promote each other’s services to their respective clients.

According to Qiagen, the partnership creates “the first laboratory of its kind in Asia equipped with a standardized, fully integrated, automated sample and assay technology platform for drug discovery and development and molecular diagnostics in personalized healthcare and other areas.”

"WuXi AppTec has long been interested in partnering with a premier international molecular biotechnology company like QIAGEN to support the development of our biomarker business," said WuXi chairman and CEO Dr. Ge Li in a statement. "This partnership gives us access to innovative technologies and processes that will allow us to better serve our customers."