US-based QuidelOrtho has teamed up with Chinese medical distribution firm Shanghai Runda Medical Technology (Runda Medical) to develop and locally produce assays for QuidelOrtho’s VITROS platform in China.
QuidelOrtho provides advanced in vitro diagnostics (IVD) technologies for point-of-care settings, clinical labs, and transfusion medicine.
Its Chinese business unit Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Trading will form a joint venture (JV) with Shanghai Medconn Biotechnology, a subsidiary of Runda Medical.
The JV aims to develop and locally produce assays for QuidelOrtho’s VITROS platform in China.
It will leverage know-how from both companies to widen the VITROS test menu, and gain efficiencies from local manufacturing at Runda Medical’s Shanghai facility.
QuidelOrtho president and chief executive officer Douglas Bryant said: “Our partnership with Runda Medical will help expand our already-compelling menu of VITROS assays abroad as well as in the Chinese market, an important, fast-growing region for us.
“We’re happy with our long-standing partnership and believe that this joint venture will translate into a faster time to market and more compelling menu for VITROS assays in support of our growth strategy in China and beyond.”
QuidelOrtho develops IVD reagent products based on VITROS immunodiagnostic analysers and the VITROS automation system that connects different instruments.
The company’s products are used by quick turnaround STAT labs across China.
Runda Medical distributes IVD products across China and has developed its own family of instruments and assays.
Both companies will contribute personnel and expertise to the joint venture and will share in the profits of the jointly developed products.
QuidelOrtho Greater China head Iris Lin will continue in the same role and will also be appointed as the general manager of the new JV
After a pilot of the assay, the companies intend to develop a broader set of assays in early 2023, alongside building out the JV organisation in the Shanghai and Beijing areas.
Iris Lin said: “We value our partnership with Runda Medical and with their expanded immunoassay menu, we look forward to rapidly launching important assays to the market with accurate, efficient results.”
Runda Medical general manager Hui Liu said: “This partnership is another in-depth strategic cooperation in the field of in vitro diagnostic product research, development, and production.
“Both parties make full use of complementary resources and commit to providing medical laboratories with higher quality in vitro diagnostic platforms and reagents and providing effective support for the diagnosis and treatment of clinical diseases.”
