Founded in Hong Kong in 1999, Hai Kang Life develops molecular technologies for human health, animal health, and food testing. Our experience in assay development, outbreak response, and product commercialization comes together in BioRadar®.
Experience built through research and real-world response
From Hong Kong and Beijing, HKLife has developed molecular assays, supported responses to major respiratory outbreaks, and brought testing products into practical use. BioRadar® builds on that history with an integrated approach to detection and quantitative monitoring.
Hong Kong and Beijing Headquarters and laboratory at Delta House, Shatin, with a second laboratory in Beijing.
Built with partners Assays, instruments and testing services developed with partners in research, clinical care and industry.
Outbreak response Member of China’s national task forces for SARS and avian influenza; outbreak work reported by CNN and BBC.
National 863 grant Supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology to develop a multiplex pneumonia detection system.
Published research ERT-PCR and electric-field-assisted hybridization research in Nature Biotechnology, NEJM, The Lancet and Science.
Milestones
1999 HKLife founded in Hong Kong, opening Hong Kong’s first dedicated commercial molecular testing and R&D laboratory.
2000 Launched multiplex avian influenza testing and an H5N1 avian influenza detection kit, later referenced in FAO/OIE international guidelines. First-generation EFAD chip and laboratory prototype developed.
2001 Hai Kang Life (Beijing) Corporation Limited established.
2002 Nobel laureate Professor Arthur Kornberg agreed to serve as an advisor to the company.
2003 During SARS, reported testing methods to national authorities on behalf of Hong Kong enterprises, and released an ERT-PCR SARS-CoV detection kit. The company’s outbreak testing work was reported by CNN.
2004 ERT-PCR SARS detection research published in The New England Journal of Medicine; related research published in Nature Biotechnology. Received a Hong Kong Award for Industries (Technological Achievement). Avian influenza NASBA detection technology recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE); drafted two national standards for avian influenza NASBA detection.
2005 Rapid avian influenza NASBA detection platform certified by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
2006 Received the company’s first national 863 Program grant, for developing multiplex NASBA detection. Transgenic detection technology included in the national science and technology support program of the 11th Five-Year Plan.
2007 Portable NASBA testing device received a Beijing Science and Technology Award. Released a chikungunya fever detection kit. Hai Kang Life (Beijing) first certified as a National High-tech Enterprise; drafted three national standards for transgenic (Bt11, Bt176, GT73) detection.
2009 Received the Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Product Differentiation Excellence Award for in-vitro diagnostics.
2010 Released an H1N1 influenza detection kit. Deployed mobile NASBA point-of-care units with governments in Bangladesh, Japan and elsewhere, training local healthcare staff in infectious disease surveillance.
2011 Featured in Science magazine: “Lab-on-a-Chip Maker Looks to Put Hong Kong on Biotech Map”.
2012 Core EFAD technology patented in China and the United States.
2013 Received a grant from the Beijing Science and Technology Innovation Investment Fund (Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area) for mobile NASBA.
2014 Released an Ebola virus detection kit. Established a postdoctoral research workstation; VetDetect multiplex veterinary detection kits launched.
2015 Invited by the Development Center for Science and Technology of China’s Ministry of Agriculture to provide technical guidance and on-site training on transgenic organism detection.
2016 Hai Kang Life (Beijing) recertified as a National High-tech Enterprise.
2017 Released a hydatidosis detection kit, an H7N9 duplex kit, and a dengue / Zika / chikungunya triplex kit.
2018–19 Shifted from research and development to commercialization, with BioRadar® as the next product. BioRadar® development project supported by the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Commission’s Enterprise Support Scheme.
2020 Donated ERT-PCR COVID-19 detection technology to the community. Developed COVID-19 and COVID-19 + influenza A/B three-in-one nucleic acid tests, with CE marking. BioRadar® industrial base established in Shenzhen.
2021 Enterprise Support Scheme project approved for developing an industrial-grade chip spotter for BioRadar®. Signed a memorandum of cooperation with Raymond Industrial Ltd (HKEX: 229).
2022 Signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei Cloud at BIOHK2022 to explore AI in biomedicine. Partnered with CWBIO; launched ART-Quant.
2023 EFADchip® and HercuLAB® developed. Nansha (Guangzhou) Hai Kang Life launched; took part in BIOHK2023.
2024 First BioRadar® prototype built.
Now Bringing BioRadar® into commercialization, with ICU as the first focus.
The team behind the technology
Led by founder and chairman Professor Albert Cheung-Hoi Yu, HKLife brings molecular science, assay development, instrument engineering, and AI into the same product team. That combination connects the science of detection with the engineering needed to build a working platform.
Prof. Albert Cheung-Hoi YU, PhD, JP — Founder & Chairman
Our specialist businesses
DNA-TECH Clinical diagnostics that bring molecular testing to doctors and health professionals.
Angenomics Limited Molecular tests for transboundary and zoonotic animal diseases, serving government labs, producers and veterinarians.
The Food Safety Laboratories Food molecular testing methods and kits for caterers, suppliers, manufacturers and testing labs.