Amid the 21st-century technological wave, the convergence of artificial intelligence and life sciences is driving an unprecedented revolution. At the 2024 World Government Summit, when the host asked NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang, "What is the next golden frontier for AI?" his answer was clear: life sciences.
According to a report by a globally renowned consulting firm, the life science market is projected to reach trillions of dollars in scale over the next decade. In the race to conquer the peaks of life science, core tools serve as the foundational bedrock. As a leading provider of such tools, MGI Tech Co., Ltd. (688114.SH) announced at the SEQ ALL Alliance Annual Summit on March 1, in collaboration with Huada Xufeng, the official launch of its latest CycloneSEQ gene sequencer, the G400-ER (originally named CycloneSEQ-WY01), alongside the unveiling of the "SEQ ALL Pioneer Program" targeting China’s pioneering life science researchers.
The G400-ER fills a gap in China’s high-throughput nanopore sequencing chip technology, boasting globally leading performance metrics. It is the world’s highest-throughput single-chip nanopore sequencer, featuring ultra-long read lengths, high data output, and real-time sequencing capabilities. These attributes make it ideal for applications such as whole-genome resequencing, plant and animal genome analysis, metagenomic sequencing, and single-cell full-length transcriptome studies.
Since debuting its first self-developed sequencer based on DNBSEQ technology in 2015, MGI has achieved remarkable milestones. Today, it not only independently develops and mass-produces clinical-grade sequencers spanning from gigabase (Gb) to terabase (Tb) throughput but also stands as the only global entity to master three distinct sequencing technologies: "excitation light," "self-luminescence," and "non-luminescence."
With the release of its CycloneSEQ nanopore sequencing technology in September 2023, MGI—serving as Huada Xufeng’s global distributor—became China’s first company to integrate both short-read (DNBSEQ platform) and long-read (CycloneSEQ platform) sequencing tools. This "dual-read synergy" underpins its vision of building a comprehensive "full-read" (SEQ ALL) tool matrix.
Amid a growing trend of domestic substitution, downstream users report that MGI’s technological edge and product portfolio now rival foreign competitors. Wang Hao, CEO of Jiangsu Weihe Biotechnology, noted: "We’ve transitioned most transplantation and transfusion testing products to MGI’s second-generation and newly launched nanopore platforms. Extensive data comparisons since 2023 confirm that MGI’s solutions can fully replace competing platforms."
Diaan Diagnostics’ rotating president, Shi Yupeng, highlighted the alignment between MGI’s product ecosystem and clinical needs: "Diaan serves over 20,000 medical institutions nationwide. Top-tier hospitals like Tiantan, Huashan, and Ruijin require high-throughput systems like MGI’s T-series, while provincial and municipal institutions opt for mid-throughput G-series. For grassroots clinics, portable models like the E25 are ideal. MGI’s portfolio perfectly matches our network."
At the summit, MGI also unveiled the T1+, the world’s first desktop sequencer capable of producing terabyte-level data within 24 hours. The T1+ accelerates the industry into an era of "same-day library loading and data delivery," supporting not only diverse applications but also enabling multi-omics research at the individual level.
The T1+ marks another milestone for MGI, following its achievements in full-throughput coverage, full-read-length capability, and universal Q40 accuracy. Together with earlier releases—the T7, G99, and E25—it forms the "Extreme-Speed Family" of DNBSEQ sequencers, ensuring 24-hour data delivery across Gb to Tb throughputs.
In the AI era, generative AI and data-driven innovation are emerging as critical engines. On February 11, MGI announced plans to integrate AI across its life science tools. Its recently launched E25 Flash ultra-fast sequencer, enhanced by AI-powered biochemical materials and base-calling algorithms, completes SE50 sequencing in just two hours, offering a breakthrough tool for rapid infectious disease diagnosis and precision medicine.
In investment circles, the "healthcare + AI" sector continues to surge, with traditional valuation models giving way to new paradigms centered on decoding life’s secrets. As a leading upstream "shovel provider" in life sciences, MGI is poised to solidify its dominance in gene sequencing and automation through AI-driven innovation.
