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April 23, 2014

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Illumina touts 鈥榞enetic sequencer鈥 for consumers

CHINESE consumers may soon be able to have their entire genetic identity mapped onto their mobile device.

Nasdaq-listed biotech firm Illumina said yesterday that it was working with Chinese regulators to introduce an advanced version of the world’s first “genetic sequencer” that can create a full human genome map for under US$1,000 in China.

The price of Illumina’s new technology is a tenth of the industry cost of nearly US$10,000 for a full genetic sequence just 12 months ago.

Illumina now even provides an app which clients can use to pull their genetic profile on a smartphone or tablet from a cloud-based storage system.

But consumers may have to wait a little longer before genetic sequencing becomes an everyday product. The low-cost system, called “HiSeq X Ten” for its 10-machine kit, is intended and priced for large-scale research use. Individual consumers currently have to fork out about US$5000 to have their whole genetic history mapped.

A genetic sequencing device provides a full account of an individual’s genetic makeup, allowing for more accurate prediction and early treatment of genetic diseases and dispositions.


 

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