Stilla Technologies, Yuzi Holdings and TusPark donate digital PCR Naica™ Systems to help fight coronavirus outbreak in China

February 25, 2020
A Franco-Chinese collaboration to better detect the virus and monitor its mutations

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CA, US - Feb 25, 2020 - Paris, February 25, 2020 - Stilla Technologies, a leading provider of pioneering digital PCR (dPCR) solutions for high-precision genetic analyses, just announced it will be joining an initiative led by Yuzi Holdings and TusPark Science & Technology Service Group (TusPark) to donate two Naica Systems to City of Zhengzhou and City of Xinyang[1], in China, to help them better detect the coronavirus and monitor its mutations. As part of the initiative, Cycloud/Apexbio, Stilla’s distributors and business partners in China, will offer technical support, reagents and kits.

“Since the beginning of the outbreak and for several weeks now, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has been working with the Naica System, both at the national level and in the city of Shiyan, in Hubei Province. We strongly believe that the Naica System will help strengthen the fight against the epidemic,” said Daniel Wang, CEO of Tuspark Europe, the European subsidiary of TUS-Holdings.

Rémi Dangla, Cofounder and CEO of Stilla Technologies said: “We are extremely proud to join TusPark in the donation initiative. It is a unique opportunity to support the fight against the epidemic directly where the most urgent needs are.”

Currently, the main method for diagnosing infections uses quantitative PCR (qPCR), a method for which the sensitivity/detection rate remains to be established. An insufficient sensitivity may hamper ongoing efforts to prevent and contain the epidemic, as researchers strive to track the virus mutation rate and its influence on the disease.

Digital PCR is an alternative detection method known for its higher sensitivity, accuracy, resolution and tolerance, compared to standard quantitative PCR.

The Naica System, the latest generation of digital PCR platforms developed by Stilla Technologies, combined with Cycloud/Apexbio’s Covid-2019 detection kits, can provide fast, accurate and reliable DNA/RNA detection of the virus and its mutations.

In January 2020, Stilla Technologies raised 20 million euros in a Series-B funding round led by TUS-Holdings, the China-Luxembourg Innovative Investment Fund established by Yuzi Holdings and TusPark, alongside Illumina Ventures, the global partner of TusPark and other European funds.

The biotech and emerging In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) market is an investment priority for TusPark, which has directly or indirectly invested in more than 20 high-tech companies. Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, several of TusPark’s portfolio companies, including AccBio, Tus-Health, LifeHealthCare and ZechengBio, have been involved in medical testing for the development of detection kits. As an advanced medical equipment supplier, Stilla Technologies will continue working with other partners to fight against SARS-CoV-2.

About Stilla’s Naica System

The Naica System is a highly sensitive digital PCR solution that runs on the company’s next-generation genetic testing and nucleic acid quantification technology, Crystal Digital™ PCR. The Naica System is uniquely capable of characterizing multiple types of nucleic acids with its three-color detection capability. Its ease of use and fastest time to results - in two hours and 30 minutes -set this innovative technology apart in the digital PCR market. The Naica System supports a wide-range of genetic tests and molecular biology assays - including liquid biopsy tests for cancer diagnostics, viral load quantification, pre-natal testing, and GMO detection. Overall, the Naica System’s superior performance make it a preferred technology for precision medicine research and therapeutic monitoring.

About Stilla Technologies

Founded in 2013 at Ecole Polytechnique, Stilla Technologies is a Paris-based European life sciences company that focuses on accelerating the development of next-generation genetic tests by providing a ground-breaking and flexible digital PCR (dPCR) solution: the Naica System. Taking advantage of cutting-edge microfluidic innovations, Stilla aims to make dPCR a lab commodity for all areas of the life sciences. Stilla actively advises and supports its customers worldwide through its dynamic and multidisciplinary R&D team, with expertise spanning from microfluidics to chemistry, including molecular biology and AI. www.stillatechnologies.com

About TusPark

TUS‐Holdings was originated from the former Tsinghua University Science Park (TusPark), the largest University Park in the world. It has invested over 200 parks/incubators globally, having a full supply‐chain incubation with the unique model of “incubation + investment + M&As”. The group has demonstrated return‐focused fund management capabilities with currently more than 35 venture and industry funds, and this investment to Stilla is through its Luxembourg CLIIF fund. TUS is actively expanding its healthcare sector through investments focusing on IVD and Precision medicine, medical instruments and healthcare services. The total investment in this sector has reached over EUR 300 million.

[1]   Zhengzhou City and Xinyang City, which are located near Hubei Province, the epicenter of the outbreak, are also strongly impacted by the disease.