Roche Applied Science, a business area of Roche Diagnostics, announced that they have sold the first ultrafast Genome Sequencer 20 System (including option for the new Genome Sequencer FLX) in Africa. South Africa's inqaba biotec will be the first user on the African continent. As of March 2007, the company will offer their sequencing service to customers not only in Southern Africa but also worldwide. The company supports all the applications available from 454 Life Sciences and Roche Diagnostics, including whole genome sequencing, Paired-End, Amplicon, etc., and provides a tailor-made service according to their customers` requirements.
Manfred Baier, Head of Roche Applied Science: "The professional management of inqaba biotec´s sequencing service will give life scientists in South Africa easy access to the next generation sequencing technology. We are pleased to be able to contribute towards boosting genetic research in this region. The substantial reductions in both time and costs by using the system offer the prospect of applications for sequencing in the fields of whole genome sequencing, transcriptome and gene regulation studies, or amplicon analysis e.g., as a basis for the detection of somatic mutations in cancer samples."
Oliver Preisig, CEO of inqaba biotec, explains: "The GS 20 sequencer from Roche is based on a cutting-edge technology for the generation and analysis of sequence data in the megabase range at a cost level that will now make it accessible to many more life scientists than ever before. We are excited that inqaba biotec was enabled by BioPAD (www.biopad.org.za), a biotechnology investment trust funded by the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa, with the aim of establishing a sequencing service based on the GS technology in South Africa to serve regional as well as international customers."
The Genome Sequencer 20 System, is based on 454 Sequencing™ technology, developed by the US company 454 Life Sciences, and can perform sequencing runs up to 60 times faster than conventional commercially available platforms. The preparation of a whole genome requires just a single preparation step, without the need for extensive robots for colony picking and handling of the microtiter plates. One single instrument can produce dozens of megabases of sequence data within a few hours thanks to parallel-processing, the latest imaging techniques and unique data analysis.
About Roche and the Roche Diagnostics Division Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is a world leader in diagnostics, the leading supplier of medicines for cancer and transplantation and a market leader in virology. Roche employs roughly 70,000 people in 150 countries and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Roche's Diagnostics Division offers a uniquely broad product portfolio and supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide. For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.com and www.roche-diagnostics.com.
About inqaba biotec Inqaba Biotechnical Industries (Pty) Ltd, trading as inqaba biotec, is a private South African genomics company founded in 2002. inqaba means 'rare and precious' in Xhosa and is pronounced with a loud click. inqaba biotec was initiated and funded by a few scientists from South Africa, the USA, Germany and Switzerland. inqaba biotec is based in Pretoria, South Africa. A Swiss government loan with the aim of facilitating investments in developing and emerging countries was crucial in the start-up years. At the end of 2005 BioPAD (www.biopad.org.za), a biotechnology investment trust funded by the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa, joined inqaba biotec as a shareholder and strategic partner. inqaba biotec's customer base covers the whole of South Africa as well as other African countries, including Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. For further information, please visit inqaba biotec's website www.inqababiotec.co.za.
Manfred Baier, Head of Roche Applied Science: "The professional management of inqaba biotec´s sequencing service will give life scientists in South Africa easy access to the next generation sequencing technology. We are pleased to be able to contribute towards boosting genetic research in this region. The substantial reductions in both time and costs by using the system offer the prospect of applications for sequencing in the fields of whole genome sequencing, transcriptome and gene regulation studies, or amplicon analysis e.g., as a basis for the detection of somatic mutations in cancer samples."
Oliver Preisig, CEO of inqaba biotec, explains: "The GS 20 sequencer from Roche is based on a cutting-edge technology for the generation and analysis of sequence data in the megabase range at a cost level that will now make it accessible to many more life scientists than ever before. We are excited that inqaba biotec was enabled by BioPAD (www.biopad.org.za), a biotechnology investment trust funded by the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa, with the aim of establishing a sequencing service based on the GS technology in South Africa to serve regional as well as international customers."
The Genome Sequencer 20 System, is based on 454 Sequencing™ technology, developed by the US company 454 Life Sciences, and can perform sequencing runs up to 60 times faster than conventional commercially available platforms. The preparation of a whole genome requires just a single preparation step, without the need for extensive robots for colony picking and handling of the microtiter plates. One single instrument can produce dozens of megabases of sequence data within a few hours thanks to parallel-processing, the latest imaging techniques and unique data analysis.
About Roche and the Roche Diagnostics Division Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As a supplier of innovative products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, the group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is a world leader in diagnostics, the leading supplier of medicines for cancer and transplantation and a market leader in virology. Roche employs roughly 70,000 people in 150 countries and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Roche's Diagnostics Division offers a uniquely broad product portfolio and supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide. For further information, please visit our websites www.roche.com and www.roche-diagnostics.com.
About inqaba biotec Inqaba Biotechnical Industries (Pty) Ltd, trading as inqaba biotec, is a private South African genomics company founded in 2002. inqaba means 'rare and precious' in Xhosa and is pronounced with a loud click. inqaba biotec was initiated and funded by a few scientists from South Africa, the USA, Germany and Switzerland. inqaba biotec is based in Pretoria, South Africa. A Swiss government loan with the aim of facilitating investments in developing and emerging countries was crucial in the start-up years. At the end of 2005 BioPAD (www.biopad.org.za), a biotechnology investment trust funded by the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa, joined inqaba biotec as a shareholder and strategic partner. inqaba biotec's customer base covers the whole of South Africa as well as other African countries, including Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. For further information, please visit inqaba biotec's website www.inqababiotec.co.za.
