The partnership will provide a complete NGS solution from sample to answer
Danaher companies Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT), a specialist in genomics, and Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, a specialist in laboratory automation and innovation, have formed a strategic partnership to automate IDT’s range of customisable next-generation sequencing assay solutions on the Biomek i3 Benchtop Liquid Handler.
The collaboration hopes to enable labs to simplify oncology research workflows by improving precision, scalability, and reproducibility, as oncology labs depend on reproducible NGS workflows to identify variants and drive precision medicine.
IDT and Beckman Coulter Life Sciences will work together to automate Archer FusionPlex and VariantPlex targeted sequencing assays, as well as IDT’s xGen Hybrid Capture workflows, on the Biomek i3 instrument.
Pairing IDT’s NGS assay chemistry with the Biomek automation platform enables researchers to benefit from reduced hands-on time, greater reproducibility, and throughput tailored to their specific needs. The Biomek i3 system has a compact footprint and enhanced capabilities, including optional on-deck thermocycling and intuitive software for accelerated protocol development, creating a suitable solution for labs processing lower-throughput sample volumes without compromising data quality.
Ajay Gannerkote, president at IDT, said, “At IDT, we’re redefining what walk-away automation means by optimising NGS workflows and enhancing automation compatibility and scalability to empower labs to focus more on discovery and less on manual processing. We develop these innovations in close collaboration with automation partners like Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, to democratise precision medicine and accelerate researchers’ ability to generate and interpret genomic data at scale.”
Ewen Grant, senior director of automation at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, said, “The Biomek i3 instrument was built to bring powerful automation to the benchtop. Partnering with IDT allows us to deliver a robust solution that reduces the complexity of targeted sequencing workflows and supports labs of all sizes in achieving consistent, high-quality results.”
