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Illumina’s NextSeq™ 500 Brings Next-Gen Sequencing to the Desktop
In a January 14, 2014 press release, Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) announced the immediate availability of a transformative addition to its industry-leading next-generation sequencing portfolio with the launch of the NextSeq 500 System. The new sequencer packs high-throughput performance into an affordable desktop form factor, enabling researchers to perform the most popular sequencing applications in less than a day. The NextSeq 500 System is priced at $250,000. “Illumina’s sequencing portfolio is the most comprehensive in the world, and the addition of the NextSeq 500 System furthers this distinction by enabling next-generation sequencing to become an everyday tool,” said Jay Flatley, CEO of Illumina. “The NextSeq 500 was reimagined from the ground up and uses technology breakthroughs in optics, fluidics, and chemistry to bring high-throughput power to the desktop at a significantly reduced cost.” The NextSeq 500 System delivers the power of high-throughput sequencing with the load-and-go simplicity of a desktop sequencer, effectively transforming a broad range of high-throughput applications into affordable, everyday research tools. Its push-button operation delivers a one-day turnaround for a number of popular sequencing applications, including one whole human genome and up to 16 exomes, up to 20 non-invasive prenatal testing samples, up to 20 transcriptomes, up to 48 gene expression samples and up to 96 targeted panels. With its streamlined informatics, sequencing data can be run through a range of open-source or commercial pipelines or instantly transferred, analyzed, and stored securely in BaseSpace® or the new BaseSpace® OnSite for researchers needing an on-premises solution.