(ANN ARBOR, Mich. ) Swift Biosciences, Inc., a leader in commercialization of DNA and RNA library preparation kits for Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), today announced a partnership agreement with LGC, Biosearch Technologies, a global leader in specialty genomic analysis tools to leverage Swift’s targeted sequencing technology into LGC Biosearch Techologies kits and service offerings for the worldwide AgBio market.

Under this arrangement, LGC will be Swift’s exclusive worldwide partner for amplicon-based targeted sequencing assays for genotyping AgBio samples, including crop species and animals. Based on Swift’s Accel-Amplicon® Custom Panel product line, LGC’s products and services will utilize Swift’s innovative primer design algorithms, patented multiplex PCR chemistry, and NGS library preparation reagents to enable mid-density SNP genotyping by sequencing for high sample throughput applications.

Drew McUsic, PhD, Senior Product Manager at Swift Biosciences said, “Swift developed a patented, multiplex PCR library preparation technology to enable sequencing thousands of targets per assay and primer design software that accommodates various plant and animal genomes. Partnering with LGC allows Swift to focus the application of that technology into the AgBio market.”

Joris Parmentier, Strategic Marketing Manager NGS at LGC, Biosearch Technologies said, “The AgBio sequencing space is developing rapidly and it demands cost effective, convenient assays capable of reliably delivering broad genetic trait profiles to inform decisions in breeding and agricultural product development. Swift’s patented technology complements our NGS portfolio and allows us to provide a targeted genotyping by sequencing solution to our customers that is simple, fast and cost effective enough to enable the sample throughput required and accelerate their breeding programs.”

Swift offers a variety of catalog and custom panels developed for AgBio, human inherited disease, microbiome sequencing, and sample tracking applications. The Accel-Amplicon targeted design and NGS library prep workflow is a robust solution to interrogate from tens to thousands of mutations in a single PCR reaction with a 2-hour DNA-to-sequencer workflow. Due to the relatively low sequencing depth required for germline genotyping and the high multiplexing capabilities of this library preparation technology, LGC selected to license Swift’s products to accommodate this growing requirement for its AgBio customers.

Through the partnership, Swift and LGC hope to accelerate breeding programs and support customer’s desires to get selected traits to market faster.

About LGC, Biosearch Technologies

Biosearch Technologies™ provides products and services for genomic analysis that support mission critical applications for global customers in agrigenomics and human healthcare. The portfolio offers integrated tools and technologies to accelerate sample preparation, amplification, cloning and expression, next generation sequencing (NGS), custom oligonucleotide synthesis, nucleic acid chemistry reagents, and oligo therapeutics.

About LGC

LGC is an international leader in the extended life sciences sector, including human healthcare, agri-food & the environment. LGC provides a comprehensive range of reference materials, proficiency testing schemes, and genomics reagents, as well as research and measurement services. Its scientific tools and solutions enable organisations to advance research, develop new products and form an essential part of their quality and compliance procedures. LGC’s 3,150 employees include internationally-recognised scientists who are experts in their field. Headquartered in London, it operates out of 19 countries worldwide and is extensively accredited to quality standards such as GMP, GLP, ISO 13485, ISO 17034, ISO 17043, ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001.

LGC has been home to the UK Government Chemist for more than 100 years and is the UK National Measurement Laboratory and Designated Institute for chemical and bio measurement. LGC has been privately-owned since 1996 and has diversified through internal investment and acquisition to be an international leader in its chosen markets. LGC is now owned by funds affiliated with KKR.
For more information, please visit www.lgcgroup.com

About Swift Biosciences
Swift Biosciences develops and commercializes NGS Library Preparation Kits that enable technologies for genomics, translational, and clinical research. Our proprietary technologies expand the range of sample inputs to extend the applications of next-generation sequencing (NGS). Swift Library Kits are designed to maximize data output, provide the most comprehensive coverage available on the market and reduce sequencing costs. Our products are designed to facilitate library normalization and to analyze DNA and RNA samples for applications including Liquid Biopsy (circulating, cell-free DNA), Methylation Sequencing, Whole Genome, Exome and Transcriptome Sequencing as well as Chromatin studies, from low input quantities and from Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded samples. The mission of Swift is to provide research tools for long term improvements in the health of individuals and their communities all around the world, specifically in the fight against cancer and understanding the complexities of inherited diseases. The tools developed in our efforts are directly applicable to research in agrigenomics, biotechnology, metagenomics, and the pharmaceutical industry.

For more information, visit SwiftBioSci.com and follow Swift Biosciences on Twitter (@SwiftBioSci).