PacBio Expands Distribution in China, Gaining Access to New Clinical Lab Networks via Haorui Gene

Rhea-AI Summary

PacBio (NASDAQ: PACB) has appointed Haorui Gene as an official distributor in China to expand access to its HiFi long-read sequencing technology. Haorui Gene, established in 2020, has become a leader in blood typing genomics with seven Sequel II and three Revio systems deployed across China. The company will distribute PacBio's Vega platform throughout China, focusing on transfusion medicine and hematology applications.

Haorui Gene has published over 20 peer-reviewed papers and gained widespread adoption in Chinese blood centers. The company introduced HiFi-based HLA typing products in 2022 and blood group genotyping panels in 2023. In 2024, they expanded collaborations with major blood centers for rare blood classification and erythrocyte antigen mapping research.

Positive

• Strategic expansion into China's fast-growing clinical genomics market through established distributor
• Haorui Gene's proven track record with 10 PacBio systems already deployed
• Strong validation through 20+ peer-reviewed publications and widespread adoption in Chinese blood centers
• Access to new customer segments including hospital labs and regional blood centers

Negative

• None.

Insights

Genomics Industry Analyst

PacBio's new Chinese distribution partnership with Haorui Gene strategically expands their clinical footprint in a major growth market.

PacBio's distribution agreement with Haorui Gene represents a strategic expansion into China's rapidly growing clinical genomics market. This partnership leverages Haorui's established expertise in blood typing genomics and their existing deployment of seven Sequel II and three Revio systems across the country.

The distribution arrangement specifically targets high-value clinical applications in transfusion medicine and hematology - areas where PacBio's HiFi long-read sequencing technology offers distinct advantages over conventional methods. Haorui's demonstrated success in these specialties, evidenced by over 20 peer-reviewed publications, provides PacBio with an experienced partner already embedded in Chinese blood centers and clinical laboratories.

What makes this partnership particularly valuable is Haorui's specialized focus on complex genomic regions crucial for blood typing, HLA typing, and rare blood discovery - applications requiring the exceptional accuracy and completeness that long-read sequencing provides. This positions PacBio to capitalize on clinical use cases where their technology offers clear differentiation.

The agreement specifically includes distribution of PacBio's Vega platform, expanding the company's technology footprint beyond the Sequel II and Revio systems already deployed by Haorui. This multi-platform strategy allows PacBio to address different market segments and price points within the Chinese healthcare ecosystem.

For PacBio investors, this partnership represents enhanced access to China's healthcare market through a partner with demonstrated expertise in clinical applications, potentially accelerating adoption in one of the world's fastest-growing genomics markets.

Haorui’s established footprint brings HiFi sequencing to new customers including hospital labs and regional blood centers

MENLO PARK, Calif., May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PacBio (NASDAQ: PACB), a leading provider of high-quality, highly accurate sequencing solutions, today announced the appointment of Haorui Gene, a globally recognized leader in blood typing genomics, as an official distributor in China. The distribution arrangement is designed to expand access to PacBio’s HiFi long-read sequencing technology in clinical and research settings, with a focus on transfusion medicine and hematology, areas where precision and completeness of genomic data are critical to patient outcomes.

Founded in 2020, Haorui Gene has quickly become a key player in blood typing genomics, deploying seven Sequel II and three Revio systems across China to support large-scale efforts in HLA typing, blood group genotyping, and rare blood type discovery. Through these programs, Haorui has helped set new standards for resolution and reliability in complex genomic regions, delivering insights that are often missed by traditional methods.

This marks an important step toward establishing PacBio’s HiFi sequencing as the method of choice in blood genomics, offering exceptional accuracy across full-length genes, structural variants, and highly polymorphic regions that are critical for transfusion safety and donor matching. With over 20 peer-reviewed publications and widespread adoption in Chinese blood centers, Haorui’s work demonstrates the clinical and scientific momentum behind long-read sequencing as a foundational tool for the future of personalized transfusion medicine.

Under the terms of the agreement, Haorui Gene will distribute PacBio’s Vega platform throughout China, which, together with other products offered by Haorui Gene, will deliver end-to-end support for clinical laboratories, blood centers, and genomics institutions aiming to build more complete, confident blood group profiles.

“This arrangement formalizes a strong foundation and supports our broader goal to make accurate, long-read sequencing standard practice in clinical genomics,” said Christian Henry, President and Chief Executive Officer of PacBio. “Haorui Gene has built deep expertise in one of the most genomically complex areas of medicine. Their leadership in blood group and HLA typing, paired with our HiFi technology, has already delivered real progress in China, making them an ideal partner to help scale access to our highly accurate long-read sequencing technologies across China. We are excited to work together to continue building momentum in critical areas of clinical genomics like transfusion medicine.”

Haorui Gene has played a leading role in bringing advanced long-read sequencing into clinical use across China. In 2022, the company introduced a HiFi-based HLA typing product, followed by comprehensive blood group genotyping panels in 2023. In 2024, Haorui expanded its collaborations with major blood centers to deepen national research efforts in rare blood classification and erythrocyte antigen mapping, areas that demand high-resolution, allele-level insight.

“Together with PacBio, we are committed to delivering high-standard clinical diagnostics and expanding the frontiers of long-read sequencing in healthcare,” said Wang Bo, General Manager of Haorui Gene. “This collaboration reinforces our shared goal of enabling transformative discoveries in hematology and beyond.”

This expanded partnership supports one of the world’s fastest-growing clinical genomics markets and reflects a shared commitment to making high-precision sequencing more widely available for healthcare applications that depend on accuracy at scale.

About PacBio 

PacBio (NASDAQ: PACB) is a premier life science technology company that designs, develops, and manufactures advanced sequencing solutions to help scientists and clinical researchers resolve genetically complex problems. Our products and technologies stem from two highly differentiated core technologies focused on accuracy, quality and completeness which include our HiFi long-read sequencing and our SBB® short-read sequencing technologies. Our products address solutions across a broad set of research applications including human germline sequencing, plant and animal sciences, infectious disease and microbiology, oncology, and other emerging applications.

For more information, please visit www.pacb.com and follow @PacBio. 

PacBio products are provided for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. 

About Haorui Gene

Haorui Gene is a leading innovator in clinical long-read sequencing, dedicated to advancing precision medicine through cutting-edge genomic technologies and strategic partnerships.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the uses, advantages, quality or performance of, the benefits or expected benefits of using, PacBio products or technologies, including in connection with intentions to expand PacBio’s long-read sequencing technology in clinical and research settings in China and to make its use there standard practice, and other future events. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they are subject to assumptions, risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from currently anticipated results. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks inherent in developing and commercializing new technologies; working with new distributors; rapidly changing technologies and extensive competition in genomic sequencing; unanticipated increases in tariffs, costs or expenses; interruptions or delays in the supply of components or materials for, or manufacturing of, PacBio products and products under development; third-party claims alleging infringement of patents and proprietary rights or seeking to invalidate PacBio's patents or proprietary rights; and other risks associated with general macroeconomic conditions and geopolitical instability. Additional factors that could materially affect actual results can be found in PacBio's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including PacBio's most recent reports on Forms 8-K, 10-K, and 10-Q, and include those listed under the caption “Risk Factors.” These forward-looking statements, including PacBio’s preliminary unaudited financial information and PacBio’s financial guidance, are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof; except as required by law, PacBio disclaims any obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if new information becomes available.

Contacts (Haorui Gene) 

Bo Wang
wangbo@xahorizon.cn

Contacts (PacBio) 

Investors: 
Todd Friedman
ir@pacificbiosciences.com 

Media: 
pr@pacificbiosciences.com 

FAQ

What is the significance of PacBio's distribution agreement with Haorui Gene in China?

The agreement expands PacBio's access to China's clinical genomics market through Haorui Gene's established network of hospital labs and blood centers, focusing on transfusion medicine and hematology applications.

How many PacBio sequencing systems has Haorui Gene deployed in China?

Haorui Gene has deployed ten PacBio systems across China: seven Sequel II and three Revio systems.

What products will Haorui Gene distribute for PacBio in China?

Haorui Gene will distribute PacBio's Vega platform throughout China, along with other products to support clinical laboratories and blood centers.

What is Haorui Gene's track record in the Chinese market?

Since 2020, Haorui Gene has published over 20 peer-reviewed papers, introduced HiFi-based HLA typing products (2022), blood group genotyping panels (2023), and expanded collaborations with major blood centers for rare blood research (2024).