South African Biotec Installs Roche Genome Sequencer 20

Roche Diagnostics has 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 in 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.

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.

Preisig further said: We are excited that Inqaba Biotec was enabled by BioPAD, 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.