Ukrainian genetic testing laboratory GeneCode Diagnostics has invested more than $500,000 of its own funds in modern high-tech laboratory equipment, including an Illumina NextSeq 1000 system and an MGI DNBSEQ-G400 benchtop sequencer. The investment is aimed at expanding the laboratory’s technical capabilities and increasing its capacity to conduct complex DNA testing directly in Ukraine.
The new capacity has been deployed to meet domestic demand for non-invasive prenatal testing, or NIPT, which enables the safe assessment of the risk of fetal chromosomal abnormalities at an early stage of pregnancy. According to the most optimistic estimates, this type of screening currently covers only 4% of pregnancies in Ukraine, with GeneCode Diagnostics accounting for more than half of the existing testing volume. By comparison, coverage in EU countries ranges from 30% to 100%.
The company expects domestic demand for NIPT to at least double over the next six months. The upgrade of its technological infrastructure has significantly increased the laboratory’s throughput and optimised the number of tests that can be processed simultaneously. In particular, the integration of the new Illumina NextSeq 1000 system increases testing capacity from the previous 48 samples to 288 samples per run, while the MGI DNBSEQ-G400 platform raises productivity from 96 to 188 samples per operating cycle.
“We are investing our own funds in modern equipment, having deliberately chosen to develop domestic testing capacity rather than export samples abroad. For us, this is a matter of professional and ethical responsibility: when a laboratory fully controls the entire process — from sample collection to the delivery of results with explanations and recommendations — it can guarantee maximum quality and transparency.
“Demand for genetic testing in Ukraine is growing rapidly, and our task is to meet it quickly, locally and to a high standard, without compromising quality. It is also important that our team already has experience working with similar technologies, allowing us to integrate the new equipment into our operational processes within the shortest possible timeframe — a matter of weeks, whereas market participants without specialised expertise could require years.
“It is precisely the combination of these factors — demand, the team’s technological readiness and investment in our own capacity — that defines our strategic focus on strengthening genetic medicine in Ukraine and increasing its competitiveness in line with leading global practices,” said Oleksandr Vlasyshen, co-founder and CEO of GeneCode Diagnostics.
The US-made Illumina NextSeq 1000 is a next-generation sequencing platform used for a wide range of applications, from whole-genome analysis to the study of gene activity. Equipment from this product line is recognised as a global standard for non-invasive prenatal genetic testing conducted using a pregnant woman’s venous blood sample from the tenth week of pregnancy.
The company has also launched a second instrument, the MGI DNBSEQ-G400, a high-throughput benchtop next-generation sequencer that combines flexible configuration, high processing speed and a low cost of data generation.
The laboratory’s increased capacity and high level of automation reduce testing costs, enabling GeneCode Diagnostics to maintain the lowest NIPT price in Ukraine at UAH 8,800. Patients receive their results within three to seven days, compared with up to three weeks when samples are sent abroad for analysis.
