Roche may have failed to buy out Illumina back in 2012, but now it’s trying to take up some of the gene sequencing specialist’s market share with its own next-gen platform.
Roche’s Axelios 1 delivers a “unique combination of accuracy, speed, scalability and cost efficiency” and is set up to allow for same-day, whole-genome sequencing in research workflows, the Swiss diagnostics maker said in a June 29 statement.
It does this by converting DNA/RNA into high signal‑to‑noise “Xpandomers,” which are measured by a sequencing instrument using a reusable metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor containing millions of nanopores.
Roche’s system also comes through via some big pacts, including with Hartwig Medical Foundation and Broad Clinical Labs, as well as a partnership with 10x Genomics for single-cell and spatial application kits. Support for its SBX tech (which powers the platform) comes via Google DeepVariant and the open-source suite of XOOS tools.
The platform will look to go up against Illumina’s NovaSeq X machines, which for years have been doing this kind of large-scale sequencing work using Illumina’s NGS Systems tech.
Initially, however, Roche noted that Axelios 1 “is for research use only” and “not for use in diagnostic procedures.” This limits its platform to academic and research institutions.
“Axelios 1 will deliver a disruptive sequencing solution that combines high accuracy with unprecedented speed and scalability. These attributes, combined with our high level of cost efficiency, will enable the sequencing community to develop applications that previously were not feasible,” Matt Sause, CEO of Roche Diagnostics, said in statement.
“Additionally, in the future, Axelios 1 has the same potential to enable the next generation of clinical applications and unlock new frontiers in personalised healthcare,” Sause added.
Roche said early‑access users have shown practical research applications across oncology, genetics and infectious diseases.