HUNTSVILLE, Ala., March 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Discovery Life Sciences™ (Discovery), the Biospecimen and Biomarker Specialists™, has announced that Discovery Genomics is the first commercial service laboratory in the world to receive two of the new NovaSeq™ X Plus Sequencing Systems from Illumina, Inc.  Discovery Genomics will expand its platform to five systems by the end of the year―positioning itself as the commercial laboratory with the world's largest NovaSeq X Plus commercial fleet.

The NovaSeq X Plus is a game-changer in the field of genomics, boasting three flow cell types and generating up to 16 Tb of output per run with dual flow cells. Its ultra-high-density flow cells and ultra-high-resolution optics enable output of up to 26 billion single reads per flow cell. The system can simultaneously perform up to four applications per flow cell, with integrated secondary analysis capabilities, making it a uniquely powerful and versatile tool for genomics research.

"We are thrilled to be the first commercial service laboratory in the world to receive two of the new NovaSeq X Plus systems," said Tom Halsey, Ph.D., executive vice president of Discovery Genomics. "With the expansion of our fleet to five systems, we are uniquely positioned to provide the highest capacity to generate genomic data more cost effectively, furthering our mission to enable our clients' success by delivering world-class genomic services with speed, scale, and quality."

Discovery Genomics' scientists are immediately launching the bridging studies necessary to validate workflows from existing sequencers to the NovaSeq X Plus, which will expedite the transfer of client projects to the more efficient and cost-effective platform. The X Plus, combined with individually addressable flow cell lanes, flexible run options, and simplicity of operation, will enable Discovery Genomics to deliver the market-leading scale and speed to provide the highest quality results at substantially reduced costs and timelines.

"Cross-validation of our existing WGS, WES, RNA-Seq libraries for both standard and low input workflows on the newly installed Illumina NovaSeq X Plus instruments has already begun," said Nripesh Prasad, Ph.D., vice president of scientific and technical development for Discovery Genomics. "This cross-validation data will help us quickly bridge the NovaSeq 6000 and X-Plus chemistries so customers can confidently utilize the new technology for their high-throughput projects at unprecedented speed and scale while reducing their overall project costs."

Discovery's CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited, and GCLP-compliant Genomics Laboratory offers a wide range of scalable next-generation sequencing (NGS) services, including RNA, whole exome, whole genome, targeted, single cell, and epigenetic sequencing. Its proprietary comprehensive genomic profiling workflow enables interrogation of most difficult sample types, such as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) and core needle biopsies (CNB) samples.

Discovery Life Sciences will be relocating to a new 100,000 sq ft. world headquarters this summer, offering one of the largest installments of the leading edge multi-omic biomarker technologies, including the Illumina NovaSeq X Plus Systems, under one roof. The facility will house genomics, proteomics, molecular pathology, and flow cytometry laboratories. A fully integrated LIMS system will track the chain of custody of a research or clinical trial sample from receipt through multiple technologies, producing comprehensive and actionable data in the shortest possible time.

About Discovery Life Sciences

Discovery Life Sciences is the company of Biospecimen and Biomarker Specialists, combining one of the world's largest commercial biospecimen inventory and procurement networks with preeminent multi-omic biomarker service laboratories, including genomic, tissue biomarker, proteomic, and flow cytometry services to accelerate new therapies supported by biomarker and companion diagnostic programs for cancer, infectious disease, and other rare and complex conditions.   

Through AllCells®, our cell and gene therapy division, we maintain the largest recallable donor pool to supply Research Use Only (RUO) and clinical-grade fresh and cryopreserved human cellular materials to support cell and gene therapy programs in any phase of development and at any scale.   

Discovery's leading scientific expertise, scale of global operations, and innovative use of current technologies allow customers to obtain results to make critical research and development decisions at market-leading speed. We are Science at your Service™! For more information, visit dls.com.