South Korean genomics company Macrogen said Thursday it has begun operating Roche's next-generation genome sequencing platform, Axelios 1, at its Songdo Global Genome Center in Incheon, aiming to speed up genetic analysis and expand capacity for large-scale research.
Macrogen is among the first companies worldwide to adopt the system, developed by Swiss healthcare giant Roche. The platform began operations Wednesday following initial testing.
The installation is expected to strengthen Macrogen's whole-genome sequencing capabilities, allowing it to process larger volumes of genetic data and deliver results more quickly.
Axelios 1 uses Roche's Sequencing by Expansion technology, which converts DNA sequence information into structures called Xpandomers that are up to 50 times longer than the original DNA. According to Roche, the technology enables high-accuracy sequencing and greater data throughput, with adjustable read lengths for different research applications.
Macrogen plans to integrate the platform with its existing automation and artificial intelligence-based analysis systems to reduce processing bottlenecks and shorten the time from sequencing to delivery of results.
The company expects the additional capacity to support population-scale genomic studies involving thousands or tens of thousands of participants, as well as research requiring rapid analysis.
Macrogen Chair Seo Jeong-sun, CEO Kim Changhoon and executives from Roche Diagnostics Korea attended a ceremony Wednesday to review the system's initial test results and potential applications.
"We will combine faster analysis with our accumulated genomic data, automation and AI agent capabilities to help researchers shorten their research timelines and advance to the next stage," Seo said.
He added that the investment would help Macrogen strengthen its position in the global market for large-scale genomic research.
yejinlim@heraldcorp.com