- Focuses on Specialty Esoteric Testing Business
- Optimizes Vertical and Horizontal Industry Chain Deployment
Kindstar Globalgene Technology, Inc. (Kindstar Globalgene or the Company, together with its subsidiaries, collectively the Group; HKG: 9960), a leading independent esoteric clinical testing service provider in China, today announced its audited annual results for the year ended 31 December 2021 (2021 or the Year).
During the period under review, the Group recorded total revenue of RMB930.67 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 4.4%. Revenue from non-COVID-19-related testing services was RMB868.57 million, an increase of 12.3%. The Group’s consolidated gross profit was up by 5.4% year-on-year to RMB485.77 million, while the consolidated gross profit margin rose by 0.5% year-on-year to 52.2%. Cash and cash equivalents amounted to RMB1,796.7 million, a growth of 113.6% year-on-year. The non-COVID-19-related testing services segment recorded results of RMB197.18 million, an increase of 17.5% year-on-year. The Board has resolved not to distribute a dividend for FY2021.
Focused on specialty esoteric testing services and vigorously developed related services in six major specialty areas
Since its inception in 2003, the Group has been focusing on esoteric clinical testing services and is one of the first companies in China to enter
the esoteric testing service industry. During the period under review, the Group covered more than 3000 hospitals, in which over 60% are Class III hospitals, added three new laboratories and its esoteric testing volume exceeded 1.68 million, with positive growth in all six major esoteric testing specialty areas.
- Hematology testing: The Group introduced 50 new testing items and added the Shanghai Xinnuo Baishi Medical Laboratory. During the period, the Group achieved revenue of RMB535.27 million and segment results of RMB152.57 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 14% and 15.7%, respectively.
- Neurology testing: The Group launched six new projects covering diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and myasthenia [gravis] and also added 143 partnering Class III hospitals. The Group recorded revenue of RMB89.85 million and segment results of RMB14.06 million during the period, a year-on-year increase of 18.2 and 11.6%, respectively.
- Maternity-related testing: The Group added the diagnosis of gestational syndromes during the period, and recorded revenue of RMB52.25 million and segment results of RMB3.55 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively.
- Genetic disease and rare disease testing: During the period, the Group realized revenue of RMB43.50 million and segment results of RMB5.43 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 20.2% and 126.4%, respectively. Sales of multiple steroid hormone tests doubled year on year.
- Infectious disease testing: The Group introduced 28 new testing items and added the Wuhan Kindstar Zhenyuan Medical Laboratory, achieving revenue of RMB51.97 million and segment results of [RMB]9.78 million during the period, representing a year-on-year increase of 3% and 33.2%, respectively.
- Oncology testing: The Group launched new testing service items for various types of cancer, including intestinal cancer, cervical cancer, bladder cancer and liver cancer, achieving revenue of RMB8.62 million and segment results of RMB0.83 million during the period, 13.4% and 82.5% higher than the same period last year.
- Others: The Group added more than 20 scientific research service projects in the areas of research services, CRO and new testing services, achieving revenue of RMB19.46 million and segment results of RMB5.99 million during the period, representing year-on-year growth of 36.1% and 35.1%, respectively.
Persistent R&D investment to develop and expand new specialty esoteric testing business lines
As of 31 December 2021, the Group’s R&D expenses amounted to RMB90.33 million, a year-on-year increase of 20.0%.The Group had 112 new R&D projects, 17 patents were pending or granted and 23 scientific research articles were published throughout the year. During the period under review, the Group stepped up its efforts in promoting the development of specialty esoteric testing services in China and expanding the scope of such services to cover cardiovascular diseases, ophthalmology, rheumatology and immunology.
- Cardiovascular diseases: The Group focused on the R&D of biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, acute myocarditis and acute myocardial infarction. It also conducted verification studies on the clinical value of biomarkers.
- Ophthalmology: The Group actively explored opportunities in ophthalmic structured esoteric testing services and its R&D covered testing solutions for hereditary oculopathy, infectious oculopathy and autoimmune oculopathy.
- Rheumatology and immunology: The Group began the initial development of six types of disease and drug detection projects, covering sicca syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout, antiphospholipid syndrome and allopurinol detection.
Entered the IVD reagents field and optimized immune repertoire deployment
Wuhan Haixi Life Science Technology Co., Ltd., which the group owns a controlling stake, is a high-tech enterprise based on the R&D, manufacturing and sales of esoteric testing reagents providing systematic, comprehensive “high-precision and cutting edge” testing reagent products. The Group’s main products, namely reagent kits for JAK2 genes and V617F mutations (PCR-fluorescent probe method) and reagent kits for leukemia fusion genes qualitative testing (PCR-fluorescent probe method) will enter the clinical trial stage of NMPA registration. During the period under review, the Group established its business presence in the field of IVD reagent kits in the upstream industry chain by holding shares in Wuhan Haixi Life Science Technology Co., Ltd.
As an important next-generation sequencing technology, the immune repertoire sequencing technology may bring disruptive changes to the industry in the future. During the period under review, the Group established Wuhan Kindstar Biotechnology Co., Ltd., which will focus on the application and development of the immune repertoire technology in multiple disciplines and explore the biopharmaceutical and immunotherapy pathways. In addition, to further improve its immune repertoire layout, the Group invested in Shenzhen Neoimmune Co., Ltd., a leading immune repertoire enterprise in China. Looking ahead, the two parties will commence strategic cooperation in the immune repertoire segment.
Strategy and Prospects
The Group will continue to consolidate its leading position in esoteric hematology testing in China and replicate its successful experience in hematology to expedite the growth of its specialty esoteric testing business in areas such as genetic diseases, rare diseases, infectious diseases, oncology and neurology. In the next three to five years, the Group will enter several new areas of specialty esoteric testing. At the same time, the Group is also committed to building strong relationships with a wide range of participants in the clinical esoteric testing industry (including doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, contract research institutions, academic institutions and regulatory agencies), deepening existing strategic partnerships, and expanding the existing cooperation network. Since its listing, the Group has attached great importance to opportunities for horizontal and vertical integration in the industrial chain. In the future, the Group will steadily achieve a strategic and forward-looking layout through investment, integration and empowerment, in order to boost its growth.
Huang Shiang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kindstar Globalgene, expressed full confidence in the future of China’s esoteric clinical testing industry. He said, “Due to increasing public health awareness and an aging population in China, the demand for clinical tests has continued to increase. In recent years, China’s esoteric clinical testing market has been growing faster than its routine testing market, and the Company has strived to develop and introduce advanced technologies to meet the enormous unmet medical demand in the country. Looking ahead, we will actively overcome the various uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, while continuing to work hard to maintain the steady growth of our existing esoteric clinical tests, and develop and launch new services in specialty areas, thereby contributing to the precise diagnosis and advancement of treatments in specialty areas in China.”
Kindstar Globalgene 2021 Annual Results Announcement:
https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2022/0325/2022032501238.pdf
Infographics for Kindstar Globalgene 2021 Annual Results Announcement:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/h1rKtS_79dJ-Symd7Prz0w
About Kindstar Globalgene Technology, Inc.
Kindstar Globalgene Technology, Inc. (Kindstar Globalgene or the Group; HKG: 9960) is a leading independent esoteric clinical testing service provider and a major provider of hematology esoteric testing services in China. It has built a comprehensive testing portfolio, a broad hospital network and advanced technology platforms and also boasts the largest esoteric testing portfolio among all independent esoteric testing providers in China, with more than 3,500 tests on its service menu and offering one of the most extensive hematology testing portfolios worldwide, including over 2,300 testing items in the field. The Group primarily targets specialty areas with substantial growth potential or that can create significant synergies with its esoteric hematology testing services, including genetic diseases and rare diseases, infectious diseases, oncology and neurology. The Group was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 16 July 2021. Over the past 18 years, the Company has developed more than 1,100 testing items entirely in-house, and introduced approximately 2,400 testing items developed by or under license from third parties. The Group serves more than 3,000 hospitals in China, of which more than 1,500 are Class III hospitals, including all of the top 20 hospitals in the nation. The Group’s mission is to offer a broad range of high-quality specialty testing services to patients and physicians worldwide, and to promote the application of precision diagnostics and medicine.
The Group’s website: https://www.kindstar.com.cn/tc/