Prenetics Announces Tencent’s US$30 Million Investment in Insighta, Strengthening Strategic Partnership for AI-Driven Early Cancer Detection
October 15 2024 - 7:30AM
Prenetics Global Limited (NASDAQ: PRE), a leading health sciences
company, today announced that Tencent has made a strategic US$30
million investment in Insighta, a Hong Kong-based early cancer
detection company. This investment values Insighta at US$200
million and underscores Tencent’s endeavor to advancing AI-powered
innovations in healthcare.
Following the transaction, Prenetics’ stake in
Insighta will be reduced from 50% to 35%. Insighta’s co-founders
will retain their 50% shareholding. As part of the agreement,
Prenetics has received US$30 million in cash from the sale of
secondary shares to Tencent, boosting its pro forma cash and other
current short-term assets1 to over US$90 million at closing of the
transaction. Tencent will also gain a seat on Insighta’s Board of
Directors, to be held by Alexander Ng, President of Tencent
Healthcare.
Insighta’s early cancer detection platform is
powered by its proprietary FRAGMA technology, a cutting-edge system
designed to detect DNA methylation aberrations in cell-free DNA
(cfDNA) in bodily fluids such as blood. By identifying specific
fragment patterns associated with cancer cells, FRAGMA enables
non-invasive, highly accurate early epigenetics-based detection of
multiple cancers. Epigenetics is the study of biochemical
modifications of the genome without changes in DNA sequences. This
ingenious approach in detecting fragmented DNA signatures allows
the cost-effective detection of cancer, making FRAGMA a crucial
innovation in cancer detection.
Insighta has commenced clinical trials in
Mainland China, focusing initially on liver cancer, and will soon
expand to include lung cancer detection. Insighta is also actively
developing tests for additional cancer types, and plans on updating
as appropriate.
With US$80 million in cash reserves, Insighta is
well-capitalized to fund these trials and expedite the
commercialization of its revolutionary cancer detection technology
in the next few years.
“We are excited to welcome Tencent as a
strategic investor,” said Professor Allen Chan, co-founder of
Insighta. “Their expertise in AI, combined with our proprietary
FRAGMA technology, positions us to make significant strides in
improving early cancer diagnosis, which can greatly enhance patient
outcomes worldwide.”
Tencent’s robust AI resources and healthcare
expertise are expected to propel Insighta’s technological
advancements even further. This is conducive to facilitating the
widespread application of FRAGMA technology in early screening for
multiple types of cancer, thereby improving prevention strategies
for cancer.
“Tencent sees tremendous potential in Insighta’s
FRAGMA-powered approach to early cancer detection,” said Alexander
Ng, President of Tencent Healthcare. “We look forward to deepening
our partnership with Insighta through various dimensions, including
technical collaboration and financial investment. In the future,
leveraging Tencent’s leading AI technology and service platform, we
will strive to improve the accuracy of early cancer detection using
FRAGMA technology, reduce service costs, and further enhance
accessibility. Together, we believe we can make significant
progress in improving the accuracy of early cancer diagnosis and
ultimately save lives.”
Danny Yeung, CEO of Prenetics, commented on the
transaction: “This investment marks another significant step for
Insighta as it continues its mission to transform cancer detection.
With Tencent now on board, Insighta is well-positioned to
accelerate clinical development and commercialization efforts.
Prenetics remains committed to Insighta’s long-term success and
will continue to support its groundbreaking work.”
ABOUT PRENETICSPrenetics
(NASDAQ:PRE), a leading health sciences company, is dedicated to
advancing consumer and clinical health. Our consumer initiative is
led by IM8, a new health and wellness brand and Europa, the largest
sports distribution company in the USA. Our clinical division is
led by Insighta, our $200 million joint venture focused on
multi-cancer early detection technologies. This is followed by ACT
Genomics, which has achieved FDA clearance for comprehensive
genomic profiling of solid tumors, and CircleDNA, which uses NGS to
offer comprehensive DNA tests. Each of Prenetics’ units
synergistically enhances our global impact on health, embodying our
commitment to ‘enhancing life through science’.To learn more about
Prenetics, please visit prenetics.com.
ABOUT TENCENTTencent uses
technology to enrich the lives of Internet users. Its communication
and social services, Weixin and QQ, connect users with each other
and with digital content and services, both online and offline,
making their lives more convenient. Its targeted advertising
service helps advertisers reach out to hundreds of millions of
consumers in China. Its FinTech and business services support our
partners’ business growth and assist their digital upgrade. Tencent
invests heavily in talent and technological innovation, actively
promoting the development of the Internet industry. Tencent was
founded in Shenzhen, China, in 1998. Tencent has been listed on the
Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong since 2004.
Investor Relations Contact:Shannon DevineMZ
North Americashannon.devine@mzgroup.us(203) 741-8811
Angela CheungInvestor Relations / Corporate FinancePrenetics
Global Limitedangela.hm.cheung@prenetics.com
____________________________________
- Represents current assets, including cash and cash equivalents,
financial assets at fair value through profit or loss, and trade
receivables, amongst other accounting line items under current
assets based on unaudited management account prior to the closing
of the transaction.
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