MENLO PARK, Calif., Aug. 01, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. (Nasdaq:PACB) today announced that HistoGenetics, a pioneer and global leader in high-resolution HLA sequence-based typing services, has received a multi-year contract to perform HLA typing using PacBio® sequencing. The contract is expected to drive demand for several thousand samples per week over the next several years.
HLA typing, the analysis of genes in the human leukocyte antigen region of the human genome, is of critical importance for research in tissue transplantation matching, autoimmune disease-association studies, drug hypersensitivity research, and other applications. These genes are highly polymorphic and contain thousands of alleles that code for proteins important in recognizing foreign antigens. This complexity has made analyzing them with other sequencing technologies both challenging and costly. In contrast, the long reads provided by Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT®) Sequencing are ideally suited for accurate allele-level genotyping of the HLA region.
“In HLA typing, there is no room for errors. The combination of PacBio’s high accuracy and long read lengths to accurately sequence and phase HLA genes is the new gold standard in the field,” said Dr. Nezih Cereb, Chief Executive Officer of HistoGenetics. “We believe no other technology can match PacBio when it comes to long-read sequencing, especially for difficult regions of the genome where you have repeated or highly polymorphic sequences. Our unprecedented investment and expertise in PacBio’s long-read SMRT Sequencing undoubtedly played a key role in our ability to win this latest significant contract, and it is a technology platform we intend to continue to invest in.”
“HistoGenetics was early to recognize the value in having full sequences for HLA typing, and we’ve worked closely with them over the last two years as they’ve developed high-throughput workflows on their expanding base of PacBio RS II Systems,” said Dr. Michael W. Hunkapiller, Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Biosciences. “We are delighted to see HistoGenetics’ success in winning this important contract based on our SMRT Sequencing technology, and we look forward to working closely with them as they fulfill this remarkable program.”
About Pacific Biosciences
Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. (NASDAQ:PACB) offers sequencing systems to help scientists resolve genetically complex problems. Based on its novel Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT®) technology, Pacific Biosciences’ products enable: de novo genome assembly to finish genomes in order to more fully identify, annotate and decipher genomic structures; full-length transcript analysis to improve annotations in reference genomes, characterize alternatively spliced isoforms in important gene families, and find novel genes; targeted sequencing to more comprehensively characterize genetic variations; and real-time kinetic information for epigenome characterization. Pacific Biosciences’ technology provides high accuracy, ultra-long reads, uniform coverage, and is the only DNA sequencing technology that provides the ability to simultaneously detect epigenetic changes. PacBio® sequencing systems, including consumables and software, provide a simple, fast, end-to-end workflow for SMRT Sequencing. More information is available at www.pacb.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking statements, including, among other things, statements relating to future uses, quality or performance of, or benefits of using, products or technologies, expected benefits from the contract received by HistoGenetics, future demand, capacity increases or investments by HistoGenetics with regard to SMRT Sequencing products or technology and other future events. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, changes in circumstances and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond Pacific Biosciences’ control and could cause actual results to differ materially from the information expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made in this press release. Factors that could materially affect actual results can be found in Pacific Biosciences’ most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Pacific Biosciences’ most recent reports on Forms 8-K, 10-K and 10-Q, and include those listed under the caption “Risk Factors.”
Pacific Biosciences undertakes no obligation to revise or update information in this press release to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if new information becomes available.