CARLSBAD, Calif. & SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thermo Fisher Scientific and Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) today announced they have signed a commercial agreement that enables Illumina to sell Ion AmpliSeq technology to researchers who conduct scientific studies on Illumina’s next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms. The best-in-class amplicon technology is highly effective in capturing DNA and RNA from minute amounts of samples for application in multiple areas of research.
Under the agreement, Thermo Fisher will provide Illumina with Ion AmpliSeq technology for research use. Illumina will sell the product directly to its customers under the name AmpliSeq for Illumina. Thermo Fisher will continue to sell Ion AmpliSeq chemistry for both IVD and RUO applications to Ion Torrent NGS customers, and retains the right to make the technology available on other next-generation sequencing platforms.
“Thermo Fisher expects standardization on the AmpliSeq technology will have a profound impact on disease research and encourage greater collaboration among the NGS community,” said Joydeep Goswami, President of Clinical Next-Generation Sequencing and Oncology for Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Through this agreement, a much larger base of research customers can now leverage Ion AmpliSeq technology’s benefits, while Thermo Fisher continues its commitment to Ion Torrent targeted sequencing solutions for the research market and accelerates its focus and forward momentum in the clinical space.”
The agreement enables Illumina customers to utilize targeted resequencing as a follow-up to larger-scale exome and whole genome discovery studies. Ultimately, the agreement supports both organizations’ commitment to drive scientific advancement in human disease research by providing complete NGS workflow solutions.
“This partnership represents a significant step forward enabling a high performing, flexible amplicon chemistry for use on Illumina’s market-leading portfolio of sequencing systems,” said Mark Van Oene, Chief Commercial Officer for Illumina. “By expanding access to AmpliSeq chemistry to existing customers, we are enabling them to do even more with their systems.”
Introduced to the market in 2011, Ion AmpliSeq technology was developed to facilitate amplicon sequencing on the Ion Torrent NGS systems. The technology leverages highly multiplexed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to quickly and easily capture DNA or RNA targets from very limited samples. It has since proven to be a highly desired and effective NGS amplicon sequencing solution for its ease-of-use, scalability, efficient workflow and ability to provide trusted data in multiple NGS research application areas. To date, more than 1,100 Ion AmpliSeq technology studies have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of more than $20 billion and approximately 65,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands – Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services – we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive services. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.
About Illumina
Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as the global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit www.illumina.com and follow @illumina.
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