Wasatch BioLabs and Oxford Nanopore team up to accelerate methylation sequencing towards clinical use
Wasatch Biolabs (WBL), a disruptive R&D and high-throughput clinical laboratory, today announced a collaboration with Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), the company delivering a new generation of nanopore-based molecular sensing technology, to develop a Direct Whole Methylome Sequencing product that addresses key limitations associated with traditional bisulfite sequencing and methylation microarrays.
WBL develops proprietary methylation and genomic assays for mass-market research and customised clinical applications incorporating Oxford Nanopore’s rich genomic insights and rapid, accessible, and affordable sequencing technology. This collaboration is designed to build on Wasatch BioLab’s existing proprietary methylation assays and create market-leading offers to drive innovation in genomic and epigenomic analysis, accelerating breakthroughs in research and clinical applications.
“Through this collaboration, we are utilising Oxford Nanopore’s industry-leading sequencing technology and additional technological expertise to accelerate product development and bring groundbreaking innovations to market faster”, said Chad Pollard, CEO and Co-Founder of Wasatch BioLabs. “These products are poised to redefine the standard for epigenetic research and revolutionize the field”.
New product announcement: Direct Whole Methylome Sequencing
Following Wasatch BioLabs’ recent release of a cell-free whole genome methylation sequencing assay that significantly improves sensitivity and data quality in assays targeting highly fragmented cfDNA, WBL is excited to announce their latest product: Direct Whole Methylome Sequencing (dWMS). This innovative technology addresses key limitations of traditional methods, such as bisulfite sequencing and methylation microarrays.
By eliminating DNA damage from harsh chemical treatments, sequencing biases from PCR amplification, batch effects, and restricted genomic coverage, dWMS offers comprehensive genome-wide coverage, capturing up to 98% of the 28.1 million CpG methylation sites in the human genome. It delivers precise single-molecule resolution and enables the simultaneous detection of DNA sequence, methylation, and hydroxymethylation patterns.
“We’re excited to work closely with the Wasatch BioLabs team to help facilitate a paradigm shift in methylation research", said Kathleen Barnes, SVP of Population Health and Precision Medicine at ONT. “Together we will co-develop products that will replace conventional technologies such as sequencing arrays and bisulfite sequencing and reshape how methylation is incorporated into clinical research and diagnostics.”
ASHG 2024 Speaking Event Announcement
From arrays to sequencing: enhancing methylation analysis for biomarker discovery and clinical applications
WBL will discuss this product and other key developments in a joint WBL and Oxford Nanopore CoLab session at the upcoming American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Annual Meeting, held November 6th-8th in Denver, CO. The presentation will unveil key product details, including more robust details of MethylSeqR, a proprietary analysis package designed to provide researchers with the tools to perform complex analyses on robust native-read DNA output in minutes.
Date and time: Nov 6th at 12pm MT
Location: Colab: Theater #1