Illumina announced Monday the first gene sequencing system that costs under $20,000 — a one-cubic foot desktop device that the San Diego company envisions for use by any researcher.
The iSeq 100, which is based on Illumina’s next-generation sequencing technology, will begin shipping later this quarter at a list price of $19,900.
“For under $20,000, any researcher can have access to the accuracy of an Illumina sequencer in their lab,” said Francis deSouza, president and chief executive officer. “The iSeq 100 offers robustness and reliability for a broad range of applications ranging from germline and somatic tumor profiling to 16S microbial analysis and targeted gene expression.”
Medical experts said the new unit will be particularly useful in infectious disease monitoring at remote locations.
“We believe the accuracy of the iSeq 100, coupled with the low cost and small footprint, will allow us to introduce (next-generation sequencing) capability where it is needed most,” said Dr. Pardis Sabeti, professor of immunology and infectious disease at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Illumina said new applications include testing for food-borne pathogens and monitoring hospital-acquired infections.
The new product was announced after stock markets had closed on the East Coast, but the company’s stock was up nearly 8 percent to $245 in after-hours trading.
