Oxford Nanopore and Wasatch BioLabs announced that they will collaborate on developing a direct whole-methylome sequencing (dWMS) product.
In a statement, the firms noted that Salt Lake City-based Wasatch BioLabs currently develops proprietary methylation and genomic assays for research and clinical applications that incorporate Oxford Nanopore's sequencing technology.
The new collaboration is aimed at building on Wasatch BioLab's existing methylation assays to create a dWMS product that addresses key limitations associated with traditional bisulfite sequencing and methylation microarrays.
"Through this collaboration, we are utilizing Oxford Nanopore's industry-leading sequencing technology and additional technological expertise to accelerate product development and bring groundbreaking innovations to market faster," Chad Pollard, CEO and co-founder of Wasatch BioLabs, said. "These products are poised to redefine the standard for epigenetic research and revolutionize the field."
According to the firms, dWMS eliminates DNA damage from harsh chemical treatments, sequencing biases from polymerase chain reaction amplification, batch effects, and restricted genomic coverage, and in turn offers comprehensive genomewide coverage, capturing up to 98% of the 28.1 million CpG methylation sites in the human genome.
The partners said they will discuss dWMS and other key developments in a joint session at the upcoming American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting, which will be held in Denver November 6-8.
