US Senate committee takes up bill targeting China's BGI, WuXi Apptec
By Karen Freifeld
(Reuters) -A bill in the U.S. Senate that would restrict business with China's BGI, WuXi Apptec and other biotech companies on national security grounds faces its first big test in Congress on Wednesday.
The draft legislation, which is designed to keep Americans' personal health and genetic information from foreign adversaries, will be discussed in a committee meeting and could be changed and either moved forward for a vote or held back for more discussion.
The bill has spurred deep concern among investors, driving a sell-off in the shares of WuXi AppTec when news of its introduction first reached Chinese markets last month.
As currently written, it would prohibit federal agencies from contracting with China's BGI, MGI, Complete Genomics, WuXi AppTec, their affiliates and other biotechnology companies deemed of concern. It would also stop the government from entering contracts with companies that use their equipment or services.
But when members of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee meet on Wednesday to mark up the bill, it is possible one or more company names could be stripped from the text.
The companies have denied they pose any security threats.
The committee expects the bill to move forward on a bipartisan basis, an aide for Senator Gary Peters, chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said.
A companion bill introduced in the House in January accuses BGI, a genomics company, of posing a threat to U.S. national security through its collection of genetic data. It describes MGI and Complete Genomics as subsidiaries and affiliates.
WuXi Apptec, which provides R&D and manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, allegedly has
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