Roche launches AXELIOS 1 SBX sequencing platform
- Roche launched AXELIOS 1, a next‑generation single‑molecule sequencer powered by proprietary sequencing‑by‑expansion (SBX) chemistry.
- AXELIOS 1 can produce end‑to‑end, same‑day whole‑genome sequencing in research workflows with near real‑time analysis and reads up to ~1500 bp.
- SBX converts nucleic acids into Xpandomers (~50× longer) read on a reusable CMOS nanopore sensor; Roche will supply library kits and the open‑source XOOS analysis suite.
- Launch partners include Hartwig Medical Foundation, Broad Clinical Labs and 10x Genomics; the sequencing market is cited at USD 7.3 billion and AXELIOS 1 is for research use only.
Announcement
Roche introduced AXELIOS 1, its next‑generation single‑molecule sequencing platform built on the company’s proprietary sequencing‑by‑expansion (SBX) technology. The company positions the system as combining accuracy, speed, scalability and cost efficiency to address bottlenecks in genomics research.
Technology
SBX chemistry encodes DNA/RNA into measurable surrogate polymers called Xpandomers, reported to be roughly fifty times longer than the original molecules. Those Xpandomers are measured through a reusable CMOS sensor with millions of nanopores, enabling single‑molecule sequencing with near real‑time base calls and analysis and supporting reads up to ~1500 bp under appropriate conditions.
Ecosystem and partners
Roche will offer library preparation kits and an open‑source bioinformatics suite (XOOS) for SBX, and cites collaborations with Hartwig Medical Foundation, Broad Clinical Labs and 10x Genomics (single‑cell and spatial kits). Support for SBX analysis includes Google DeepVariant and the XOOS toolset.
Applications and market
AXELIOS 1 is presented for a range of research applications—WGS, RNA‑seq, single‑cell, spatial and methylation—and early users claim demonstrations across oncology, genetics and infectious disease research, including a reported world record for fastest DNA sequencing technique. The company notes the sequencing market at about USD 7.3 billion. AXELIOS 1 is for research use only and not for diagnostic procedures.
Source: Roche