NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Sage Science has recently received a $1 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue development of its automated sample prep device.
The technology will allow scientists or clinicians to load crude blood samples and generate DNA sequencing libraries in a fully automated workflow. It will reduce the cost and complexity of next-generation sequencing sample preparation and speed the application of next-generation sequencing to diagnostics, the company said. Additionally, the device will yield intact DNA fragments that are long and ideally suited for single-molecule and other long-read sequencing technologies.
Previously, the company was awarded a Phase I grant to develop an automated technology to accept whole blood input samples and produce a purified, long genomic DNA library suitable for NGS. Sage stated that it seeks to expand on this technology by enabling it to create complete libraries from crude blood samples.
This technology will have a significant impact in making DNA-based diagnostics more affordable for mainstream use, Sage said in a statement. The company hopes to launch its first version of this project early next year.