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Chinese company to use AI-powered chromosome testing to boost profits and fast-track IVF

China’s falling fertility rate sees spike in demand for assisted reproduction as biotech firm raises US$101 million from Hong Kong listing

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A Chinese biotech company is hoping AI technology will help to boost profits and speed up chromosome testing which is a vital part of In vitro fertilisation. Photo: Dreamstime/TNS
Julie Zhangin Hong KongandDaniel Renin Shanghai
Biotech firm Hangzhou Diagens Biotechnology is banking on artificial intelligence-powered chromosome testing to drive profit growth following its Hong Kong listing, as China’s falling fertility rate spurs demand for assisted reproduction.

“In China, many young people do not want to marry or have children, and by the time they decide to start a family, they need medical help to do so,” said Diagens’ founder and executive director Song Ning.

“We are meeting an increasing number of couples every year who struggle to conceive and have to turn to in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Chromosome tests are a mandatory step in that process.”
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Song said it was a market with “enormous growth potential”.

Diagens, whose shares commenced trading on the local exchange on Monday, opened at HK$219, before retreating to HK$195 at 9.55am, up 97 per cent from its offer price of HK$99. They closed at HK$209.60.

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“Our technological strength will help more patients combat the unknown territories of their diseases,” Song said before trading opened. “The Hong Kong listing marks a restart of Diagens’ efforts to scale new heights in medical science.”

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