Hai Kang Life

What Hai Kang Life does

Hai Kang Life Corporation Limited (HKLife) is a Hong Kong-based molecular diagnostics company founded in 1997, specializing in nucleic acid detection kits for food safety, clinical diagnostics, veterinary diagnostics, and infectious disease (including COVID-19 and influenza). Its core proprietary technology, ERT-PCR (Enhanced Fluorescence Real-time Reverse Transcription PCR), was developed during the 2003 SARS outbreak and is claimed to offer at least 10x the sensitivity of standard RT-PCR, capable of detecting as low as a single copy of target sequence. The company also markets a longer-cycle platform called BioRadar®, in development for seven years and inspired by military radar concepts, intended to combine sensor hardware with integrated instruments for pathogen identification and quantitative treatment-effect analysis. Sub-brands include VDS (NASBA-based veterinary diagnostics), VetDetect (one-step RT-PCR), and VetScreen (gel RT-PCR), serving laboratories, hospitals, healthcare facilities, and veterinary clinics primarily across Hong Kong, mainland China (Beijing and Shenzhen), and broader Greater Bay Area markets.

The business operates a sales-led B2B model, with products purchasable through a website order form and supported by direct sales to medical facilities, custom product development via an in-house research team, and technology training/licensing of methods such as ERT-PCR. Revenue streams include one-time kit sales across multiple product families, professional-services revenue from custom diagnostic development, and licensing/training fees. The company's go-to-market leverages regulatory credentials (ISO13485, EU certification, China High-Tech Enterprise status) and a network of strategic partnerships — notably with New Asia Bio-Tech for the three-in-one COVID/Flu kit, with Huawei Cloud for AI-biomedicine, and with HKBIO and the Greater Bay Area Biotech Alliance for ecosystem reach — alongside participation in major international conferences such as BIO International Convention and Gordon Research Conference.

Geographically, HKLife maintains wholly-owned subsidiaries in Beijing (Hai Kang Bio-Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., with High-Tech Enterprise certification) and Shenzhen (Hai Kang Bio-Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.), with headquarters in Sha Tin, Hong Kong. Founder and Chairman Professor Albert Cheung-hoi Yu provides strategic leadership and industry influence through chairmanship of HKBIO and the only Chinese seat on the Gordon Research Conference Board. The company claims over 100 patents and 200+ international scientific publications, received the National Science and Technology Progress Award (Second Class) from China's State Council, and continues to expand clinical research collaborations with major Chinese hospitals.

Name

Hai Kang Life

Legal name

Hai Kang Life Corporation Limited

Website

https://haikanglife.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hai Kang Life is a Hong Kong-based molecular diagnostics company developing nucleic acid testing kits for food safety, clinical, veterinary, and infectious disease applications using proprietary ERT-PCR and BioRadar platforms, serving laboratories and healthcare facilities across Greater China.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Molecular Diagnostics

NAICS

In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Release Testing & Batch Certification (QC) (HLAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Genetic, Cytogenetic & Prenatal Screening IVD (HLAHAAAI), Risk Assessment, Hazard Analysis & Food Defense/Fraud Programs (AFALAAAO), “Free-From” & Allergen-Free Claim Substantiation (e.g., gluten-free, peanut-free) (AFALAHAD)

Keywords

• Molecular diagnostics
• Nucleic acid detection
• Veterinary diagnostics
• Clinical diagnostic kits
• Food safety testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Sha Tin

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Diagnostic Testing Kits Sales: Sale of molecular diagnostic kits for food safety testing, clinical diagnostics, veterinary diagnostics, and COVID-19 testing. Products include VDS series, VetDetect series, VetScreen series, and specialty testing kits for various applications.
2. Custom Product Development: The company offers custom-made diagnostic products upon request through their research team, suggesting a service-based revenue component for specialized testing solutions.
3. Technology Licensing and Training: The company provides training courses on testing methods such as pooled sample testing and technical training for operators with relevant experience with ERT-PCR technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hai Kang Life Corporation Limited develops, manufactures, and sells molecular diagnostic testing kits using proprietary ERT-PCR and related nucleic acid detection technologies. Its product lines cover food safety testing (GM food, species identification, allergens), COVID-19 and infectious disease testing (including a three-in-one COVID-19/Influenza A/B kit), clinical diagnostics (prenatal, genetic, drug sensitivity, HBV, dengue), and veterinary diagnostics (avian influenza, foot-and-mouth, swine fever, PRRS). The company also offers custom diagnostic product development and technical training on its patented technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BioRadar®: Revolutionary diagnostic platform for early detection and monitoring of pathogens and diseases using gene identification technology
• VDS
• VetDetect
• VetScreen
• ERT-PCR

Products and services

• Food Safety Testing Kits

Quantifiable outcome

• ERT-PCR sensitivity is at least 10 times higher than other detection methods
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered moderate, core and minor.

• 浦发集团 (Shanghai Pudong Development Group)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 December 2023Signed strategic cooperation agreement with Hong Kong Biotechnology Association (with Chairman Yu as President) to promote Shanghai-Hong Kong cooperation.
• Shenzhen Nansha Enterprises - Multiple biotech companiesmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 January 2023HKLife's Bio-radar project collaborated with Nansha enterprises for instrument development. Many Hong Kong biotech companies have established operations in Nansha area under Greater Bay Area framework.
• Huawei Cloud (香港華為雲)coreTechnology or Integration · 16 December 2022Signed MOU at BIOHK2022 for joint AI-biomedicine research. Huawei Cloud will leverage cloud computing, big data, and AI to help HKLife explore AI drug and molecular target database development. Partnership aims to build next-generation EI-Health innovation platform.
• New Asia Bio-Tech (新亞生命科技)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2021Jointly developed three-in-one detection tool for COVID-19 and Influenza A/B. Partnership enables simultaneous detection capability with expected processing of 5000+ samples per day.
• Philip K.H. Wong FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2020Collaborated with Hai Kang Life in 2003 to develop ERT-PCR technology. Jointly funded research for SARS detection technology development. Foundation supported COVID-19 relief efforts by donating 10,000 masks at March 2020 press conference.
• Lee's Pharmaceutical Holdings LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2020Co-presented at March 2020 COVID-19 donation press conference. Partnered in community outreach efforts including mask donations to schools in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, and Tin Shui Wai areas. Donated 10,000 masks to support pandemic response.
• Hong Kong Biotechnology Organization (HKBIO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2020HKBIO organized the joint press conference where Hai Kang Life announced donation of ERT-PCR technology. Organization coordinates major biotech events including BIOHK2020, BIOHK2022, and BIOHK2023 exhibitions.
• GeneHarbor (Hong Kong) Technologies LimitedminorOthers · 3 March 2020Participated in March 2020 joint donation initiative. Contributed HK$150,000 worth of NMN9000 nutritional supplements for community distribution.
• eNano Health LimitedminorOthers · 3 March 2020Partnered in COVID-19 community relief efforts during 2020 press conference.
• Cellomics International LimitedminorOthers · 3 March 2020Partnered in COVID-19 community relief efforts. Donated 100 bottles of alcohol-based hand rubs during 2020 press conference.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seegene: South Korea-based molecular diagnostics company specializing in multiplex real-time PCR kits for infectious disease and genetic testing. Comparable to HKLife in core chemistry (real-time PCR), customer base (clinical labs), and Asia-led commercialization.
• Sansure Biotech: Chinese IVD manufacturer focused on nucleic acid diagnostic kits across infectious disease, genetic testing, and food safety. Direct competitor to HKLife in Mainland China with overlapping kit-based RT-PCR/PCR menu.
• Daan Gene (Kingmed Diagnostics / Da An): Major Chinese molecular diagnostics and clinical laboratory operator with PCR-based diagnostic kits for infectious disease and genetic testing. Closest scale-comparable peer to HKLife in Greater China.

Broad incumbents

• BGI Genomics: China's largest genomics and molecular diagnostics platform with proprietary sequencing and PCR technologies, plus global laboratory services. Broader incumbent presence vs. HKLife but overlapping in nucleic acid-based IVD kits and food/clinical testing.
• Cepheid (Danaher): Global leader in molecular diagnostics with GeneXpert cartridge-based real-time PCR systems deployed across infectious disease, genetics, and hospital-acquired infection testing. Comparable technology category (molecular PCR) but at substantially larger scale.
• BioFire Diagnostics (bioMérieux): Syndromic molecular diagnostics leader with FilmArray panels for respiratory, gastrointestinal, bloodstream, and meningitis infections. Relevant peer for HKLife's Three-in-One multiplex respiratory concept at much larger installed base.
• Hologic: US-based IVD leader with Panther molecular diagnostic systems for infectious disease and women's health. Comparable molecular diagnostics franchise and global installed base in clinical labs.

Emerging players

• SD Biosensor: Korean IVD company with strong molecular diagnostics and rapid-test portfolio, including COVID-19 and influenza multiplex assays. Comparable multiplex respiratory testing positioning and Asian market presence.
• Mylab Discovery Solutions: India-headquartered molecular diagnostics company with proprietary RT-PCR kits and at-home testing platforms. Comparable technology focus and emerging-market commercialization playbook relevant to HKLife's veterinary/clinical/food cross-segment model.

Regional players

• Autobio Diagnostics: China-based IVD manufacturer with broad diagnostic kit and automated analyzer portfolio including molecular diagnostics. Comparable kit-based business model with strong Mainland Chinese distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hai Kang Life