NEW YORK – Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Wasatch BioLabs (WBL) said Friday that they are collaborating to develop direct whole-methylome sequencing (dWMS).
Based on WBL's existing methylation assays and Oxford Nanopore's sequencing technology and expertise, the companies are developing an approach that they believe will address the limitations of existing DNA methylation analysis methods. "These products are poised to redefine the standard for epigenetic research and revolutionize the field," WBL CEO and Cofounder Chad Pollard said in a statement.
"Together we will codevelop products that will replace conventional technologies such as sequencing arrays and bisulfite sequencing and reshape how methylation is incorporated into clinical research and diagnostics," said Kathleen Barnes, senior VP of population health and precision medicine at Oxford Nanopore.
Financial and other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Earlier this year, Salt Lake City-based WBL, a spinout from Brigham Young University, launched its first commercial offering, a targeted DNA methylation nanopore sequencing service that is based on proprietary molecular enrichment technology. At that time, the firms were not yet collaborating.