Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, Mass, and Illumina Inc, San Diego, have signed a commercial agreement that enables Illumina to sell Ion AmpliSeq technology to researchers who conduct scientific studies using Illumina’s next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms. The Ion AmpliSeq technology is highly effective at capturing DNA and RNA from minute amounts of sample 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 to Ion Torrent NGS customers for both in vitro diagnostic and research use only applications, and retains the right to make the technology available on other NGS platforms.
Joydeep Goswami, Thermo Fisher Scientific.
“Thermo Fisher expects standardization on the AmpliSeq technology will have a profound impact on disease research, and encourage greater collaboration among the NGS community,” says Joydeep Goswami, president of clinical NGS 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 advances in human disease research by providing complete NGS workflow solutions.
Mark Van Oene, Illumina.
“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,” says Mark Van Oene, chief commercial officer at 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, the Ion AmpliSeq technology was developed to facilitate amplicon sequencing on Ion Torrent NGS systems. The technology leverages highly multiplexed polymerase chain reaction techniques to quickly and easily capture DNA or RNA targets from very small samples. It has since proven to be an effective NGS amplicon sequencing solution that is highly desired for its ease of use, scalability, efficient workflow, and ability to provide trusted data in multiple NGS research areas.
For further information, visit Illumina and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
