BEIJING — China may be associated with low-tech manufacturing,
but Beijing biotech firm CapitalBio offers something different.
In the sunlit atrium of CapitalBio’s Beijing R&D center, CEO
Jing Cheng stands proudly next to a display case containing
products based on biochip technology. The products were designed
and manufactured in China, and have generated nearly 150 patents
for his firm. Biochips are about the same size as computer
chips, but are covered with short strands of DNA, rather than
electronic circuits. By testing how different proteins bind with
the DNA on the chip, scientists can determine the genetic makeup
of different proteins. The technology can be used to screen
patient’s inherited genetic traits, including inherited
allergies and disorders. “This device can be used to screen for
80 genetic disorders,” Cheng said, pointing at a tiny diagnosis
kit. Another device, whose plastic moulding resembles a computer
printer, contains a robotic arm for running tests on biochips.
There are also non-bioc