Company Announcements

Pacific Biosciences 2012 revenue declined 23.3% to $26.0 million (see IBO 3/31/13), with Product revenue accounting for 77%. The number of systems delivered fell 52% to 23, bringing the total installed base to 71. The US, Asia and Europe accounted for 44%, 31% and 25% of revenues, respectively. As of December 2012, cash and investments totaled $100.6 million.

In February, Life Technologies received FDA 510(k) clearance for its 3500 Dx Genetic Analyzers and SeCore HLA typing kits.

Product Introductions

In December 2012, Fluidigm introduced the mRNA sequencing application for its C1 Single-Cell Auto Prep System for the parallel processing of up to 96 single-cell cDNA libraries for quantitation of mRNA expression on Illumina sequencers.

Life Technologies released the Ion Total RNA-Seq Kit for AB Library Builder and the Thermo Scientific MuSeek Library Preparation Kit for transposon-based sample preparation in as little as 90 minutes.

Life Technologies introduced 12 new products for the Ion Torrent platform. For sample preparation, it released the Ion Library Equalizer Kits; Ion TargetSeq Exome Rapid Protocol, which reduces the capture step to 16 hours for the Ion Proton; and Ion AmpliSeq RNA Library Kit. For targeted sequencing, it released the Ion AmpliSeq Designer 2.0, RNA Cancer Panel, RNA Apoptosis Panel, RNA Custom Panels and Custom Mouse Panels. It also released the Torrent Browser Plug-in Store and new versions of the Torrent Suite and Ion Report Software.

Roche launched in January a new suite of SeqCap EZ Reagent kits in 24 reaction packs for single or multiplex target enrichment experiments.

Bioo Scientific released the NEXTflex 16S V4 Amplicon-Seq Kit for bacterial metagenomics studies using Illumina platforms, allowing users to go from sample to sequence in two hours. It is available for up to 40 barcodes.

In February, Agilent introduced the Genomic DNA ScreenTape, a prepackaged consumables device for the 2200 TapeStation.

Agilent launched the SureSelect Strand-Specific RNA Library Preparation Kit for whole transcriptome and targeted RNA sequencing.

Agilent released HaloPlex exome kits and SureCall software for the simplified sequencing of clinical research samples on Illumina sequencers. The kits require only 200 ng of input DNA.

QIAGEN announced its sample-to-result next-generation sequencing workflow, consisting of the QIAcube and new GeneRead DNAseq Target Enrichment gene panels, QIAcube NGS, GeneReader NGS benchtop sequencer and software. The workflow will be placed with select customers this year. QIAGEN released the GeneRead DNA Library Prep Kits and the GeneRead Size Selection Kit.