Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) announced today that it has introduced the Illumina CSProTM Program for Sequencing. This new extension to the program allows organizations with the Illumina Genome Analyzer to become certified in order to provide a range of sequencing-based genetic analysis services. The Illumina CSPro Program is the only program of its kind to offer a collaborative partnership that includes co-marketing benefits with a certification process designed to help ensure delivery of the highest data quality available for genetic analysis applications. Illumina has established high performance standards and CSPro certifications for each of the Company’s array-based assay technologies including GoldenGate® Genotyping, Infinium® Whole-Genome Genotyping, and Whole-Genome Expression. The Illumina CSPro Program is modular so that participants can elect to be certified for any or all of the assays or platforms.

Illumina worked closely with the National Center for Genome Resources (NCGR) in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Fasteris SA in Geneva, Switzerland, to validate processes for the CSPro Sequencing Program. Thanks to their collaborative efforts, both organizations have completed the certification and assisted in the development of the rigorous standards for the certification, annual audit, and best practices guidelines that will enable other providers to achieve the same quality standards.

The Illumina CSPro Sequencing Program has already drawn several world-class service providers in North America, Europe and Asia in its premier stages. GATC Biotech in Europe is already in progress on the sequencing certification. Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) at Shenzhen in China and Expression Analysis (EA) in the United States are also in early stages of the process.

According to Greg May, Vice President and Director of the Genome Center at NCGR, “The Illumina CSPro Program is well aligned with NCGR’s credo of collaborative, high data quality, driven bioscience. For NCGR, CSPro certification attests to our commitment to provide the highest data quality together with sequence analysis that enables the comprehensive study and understanding of genetic variability in many aspects of human health and crop production.”

Laurent Farinelli, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fasteris said, “As the first service provider to order an Illumina Genome Analyzer, being a pilot partner for the CSPro Sequencing Program was a natural extension of our commitment to and experience with the technology.” Dr. Farinelli added, “We are very pleased to be affiliated with a global program of this nature that emphasizes a commitment to quality, collaboration, and world-class service, principles that are of utmost important to Fasteris as well.”

Tristan Orpin, Illumina’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations stated, “We are pleased to extend our Certified Service Provider Program to include next-generation sequencing on the Genome Analyzer. The rapid adoption of the platform and the subsequent publication stream has created tremendous demand for this extension of CSPro. We anticipate end user demand for CSPros in the sequencing program to grow rapidly as a result, and are very excited to have such esteemed partners from around the globe in the program.”

To find out more about NCGR, Fasteris, GATC, BGI, or Expression Analysis, please visit their respective websites at www.ncgr.org, www.fasteris.com, www.gatc-biotech.com, https://sz.genomics.org.cn/?lang=en and www.expressionanalysis.com.

Illumina is currently certifying additional CSPro Providers in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information about the CSPro Program or to view the most recent list of Illumina certified service providers, visit www.illumina.com/CSPro.