NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Illumina today said that it has lowered the cost of its human whole-genome sequencing services to $5,000 per genome for projects of 10 samples or more, and $4,000 for projects of 50 samples or more.
The services are offered through the Illumina Genome Network and compete directly with human whole-genome offerings from Complete Genomics and Life Technologies.
Illumina launched IGN in July 2010, and since that time has received orders for more than 1,000 samples, it said in a statement today. The services use Illumina's HiSeq platform.
Illumina's announcement comes around two weeks after Complete Genomics CEO Clifford Reid said at a conference that the firm shipped 600 genomes to customers in the first quarter of 2011 — a 20 percent increase over estimates that it provided in mid-March.
Complete Genomics currently offers its whole-genome sequencing services for between $5,500 and $9,500 per genome, depending on the size of the order. By the end of the year, the cost will be below $5,000, said Reid.
According to GenomeWeb Daily News sister publication In Sequence, Complete Genomics also expects that by next year it will cut that price to below $3,000 — a price that Reid said would help drive it into the clinical market.