Pacific Biosciences Launches New Sequencing Platform Based on Its SMRT Technology
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
Sequel(TM) System Offers Significantly Higher Throughput, Reducing Project Costs
and Timelines
MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 30, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pacific Biosciences of
California, Inc., (NASDAQ:PACB) a pioneer and leader in long-read sequencing
using its Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT(®)) Technology, today announced it
has launched a new nucleic acid sequencing platform. The Sequel(TM) System
provides higher throughput, more scalability, a reduced footprint and lower
sequencing project costs compared to the PacBio(®) RS II System, while
maintaining the existing benefits of the company's SMRT Technology. Pacific
Biosciences will showcase the new product at the American Society of Human
Genetics annual meeting taking place in Baltimore, Maryland beginning October
6, 2015.
The core of the Sequel System is the capacity of its redesigned SMRT Cells,
which contain one million zero-mode waveguides (ZMWs) at launch, compared to
150,000 ZMWs in the PacBio RS II. Active individual polymerases are immobilized
within the ZMWs, providing windows to observe and record DNA sequencing in real
time. With about seven times as many reads per SMRT Cell as the PacBio RS II,
customers should be able to realize lower costs and shorter timelines for
sequencing projects, with approximately half the up-front capital investment
compared to previous technology. The Sequel System occupies a smaller footprint
- less than one-third the size and weight - compared to the PacBio RS II. Since
the new system is built on the company's established SMRT Technology, most
aspects of the sequencing workflow are unchanged.
Michael Hunkapiller, Ph.D., CEO of Pacific Biosciences, commented: "We are
extremely proud to introduce the Sequel System, which provides access to the
existing benefits of SMRT Sequencing, including long reads, high consensus
accuracy, uniform coverage, and integrated methylation information - a set of
core attributes first pioneered with the PacBio RS. The system's lower price and
smaller footprint represent our continued commitment to leveraging the
scalability of our technology and the unique characteristics of SMRT Sequencing.
Moreover, with its lower cost of goods (approximately a quarter of that of the
PacBio RS II) we expect to be able to achieve substantial gross margin
improvement and move more quickly toward profitability."
"We will continue to support our PacBio RS II customers, and we expect to
introduce improvements in sample prep, sequencing chemistry, and software that
will extend the performance of that system, as we have done each year since the
initial commercialization of the PacBio RS in 2011 and PacBio RS II in 2013. We
expect to make similar, substantial performance improvements each year for the
Sequel System," added Dr. Hunkapiller. "In addition, the Sequel architecture
provides the ability to scale throughput by substantially varying the number of
ZMWs on future SMRT Cells, thereby optimizing throughput and operating costs for
specific applications."
The Sequel System is designed for projects such as rapidly and cost-effectively
generating high-quality, whole-genome de novo assemblies. It can provide
characterization of a wide variety of genomic variation types, including those
in complex regions not accessible with short read or synthetic long-range
sequencing technologies, while simultaneously revealing epigenetic information.
The system can also be used to generate data for full-length transcriptomes and
targeted transcripts using the company's Iso-Seq(TM) protocol. The Sequel
System's increased throughput should also facilitate applications of SMRT
Technology in metagenomics and targeted gene applications for which
interrogation of larger numbers of individual DNA molecules is important.
The Sequel System has been developed as part of the company's collaboration with
F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd (Roche) to ultimately provide a nucleic acid sequencing
system for use in human in vitro diagnostics. Under that agreement, Roche agreed
to pay Pacific Biosciences a total of $40 million in milestone payments related
to the development of the Sequel System. The company previously reported that it
has earned $20 million to date, and now expects to earn the remaining $20
million during the fourth quarter of 2015.
"We congratulate Pacific Biosciences on the launch of the Sequel instrument,"
said Dan Zabrowski, Head of Roche Tissue Diagnostics and Head of Roche
Sequencing Unit. "This new sequencing platform has significant advantages over
existing commercial platforms, and will be used as the basis for the Roche
sequencing instrument being developed initially for clinical research, followed
later by an IVD instrument launch. We anticipate the initial launch in the
second half of 2016."
Pacific Biosciences expects to begin limited shipments of the Sequel System in
the United States during the fourth quarter of this year and start scaling the
manufacturing process for the Sequel Systems and the new SMRT Cells during early
2016. Shipments outside the U.S. are expected to commence thereafter. A portion
of the initial Sequel instruments will be delivered to Roche to expand its
internal assay development program. The U.S. list price for the Sequel System is
$350,000. It is currently available for Research Use Only.
Pacific Biosciences will host a workshop titled "Addressing Hidden Heritability
through Long Read Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT) Sequencing" at the ASHG
conference on Wednesday, October 7, 2015 from 1-2:30 p.m. Eastern Time at the
Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel, Baltimore. The event will be hosted by Michael
Hunkapiller and Jonas Korlach from Pacific Biosciences, and include talks by
Richard Gibbs from Baylor College of Medicine and Richard Wilson from Washington
University in St. Louis. Those attending the conference in Baltimore can
register here. The company will also offer LIVE streaming and access to the
recording; for more information, click here. Attendees can also visit the PacBio
booth (#907).
Conference Call Information
Management will host a conference call to discuss this announcement tomorrow,
October 1, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Investors may listen to the call by
dialing 888.366.7247, or if outside the U.S., by dialing 707.287.9330. The call
will be webcast live and will be available for replay at Pacific Biosciences'
website at http://investor.pacificbiosciences.com/.
About Pacific Biosciences
Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. (NASDAQ:PACB) offers sequencing systems
to help scientists resolve genetically complex problems. Based on its novel
Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT(®)) Technology, Pacific Biosciences' products
enable: de novo genome assembly to finish genomes in order to more fully
identify, annotate and decipher genomic structures; full-length transcript
analysis to improve annotations in reference genomes, characterize alternatively
spliced isoforms in important gene families, and find novel genes; targeted
sequencing to more comprehensively characterize genetic variations; and DNA base
modification identification to help characterize epigenetic regulation and DNA
damage. Pacific Biosciences' technology provides the industry's highest
consensus accuracy over the longest read lengths in combination with the ability
to detect real-time kinetic information. The Sequel System, including
consumables and software, provides a simple, fast, end-to-end workflow for SMRT
Sequencing. More information is available at www.pacb.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking
statements, including, among other things, statements relating to the attributes
of the Sequel System; future uses, performance and updates or improvements of
the company's products; the timeline for Pacific Biosciences' potential
development, scaling of manufacturing and delivery of products, both in the
United States and internationally, as well as for Roche; the potential future
commercialization, pricing and gross margin of such products; the expected
benefits of the company's agreement with Roche, including the anticipated timing
for Roche to release products, future milestone achievement and other future
events. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements
because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, changes in
circumstances and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond Pacific
Biosciences' control and could cause actual results to differ materially from
the information expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made in this
press release. Factors that could materially affect actual results can be found
in Pacific Biosciences' most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including Pacific Biosciences' most recent reports on Forms 8-K, 10-
K and 10-Q, and include those listed under the caption "Risk Factors." Pacific
Biosciences undertakes no obligation to revise or update information in this
press release to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if new
information becomes available.
CONTACT: For Pacific Biosciences:
Media:
Nicole Litchfield
415.793.6468
nicole(at)bioscribe.com
Investors:
Trevin Rard
650.521.8450
ir(at)pacificbiosciences.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. via GlobeNewswire
[HUG#1955906]
Datum: 30.09.2015 - 23:44 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 423905
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