NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Illumina and venture capital firm Telegraph Hill Partners have launched Verogen, an independent company based in San Diego, California that will focus on selling Illumina's forensic sequencing technology.
Illumina will continue to manufacture MiSeq FGx and the core sequencing consumables, but Verogen will have certain exclusive rights to provide the technology to forensic customers. Verogen will be the sole provider of and have global commercial rights to the MiSeq FGx sequencing, ForenSeq DNA Signature Prep Kit, and the ForenSeq Universal Analysis Software.
In addition, during a transition period, Illumina will provide products, sales and marketing, service, and support to customers while staff and infrastructure transition to Verogen.
"Verogen will build on Illumina's past efforts by focusing on innovation, development, and commercialization of forensic genomics products, built on a deep understanding of how to improve the science behind the use of genetic data in matters of justice," Dawn Barry, vice president of new and emerging markets at Illumina, said in a statement.
Kirk Malloy, who most recently served as senior vice president for applied genomics at Illumina, will be CEO of Verogen. Cydne Holt, who previously managed forensic genomics at Illumina, will serve as general manager and chief scientific officer of Verogen.