Leading UK Core Labs Expand Investment in PacBio Sequencing Systems to Power Life Science Research with HiFi Reads

Edinburgh Genomics, Oxford Genomics Centre, and University of Liverpool Centre for Genomic Research have added new PacBio Sequel II & IIe Systems to their service laboratories

MENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. (Nasdaq:PACB), a leading provider of high-quality sequencing of genomes, transcriptomes and epigenomes, today announced that three of the United Kingdom’s leading core laboratories have increased their investment in the company’s Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT^®) Sequencing technology. Edinburgh Genomics, Oxford Genomics Centre, and University of Liverpool Centre for Genomic Research have each added Sequel^® II or Sequel IIe Systems to expand the delivery of highly accurate long-read sequencing services to researchers worldwide.

“PacBio supports sequencing labs around the world and we are pleased to expand our collaboration with these important partners in the United Kingdom who share our commitment to providing scientists with the most advanced research technologies,” said Chris Seipert, Vice President of Sales and Support at PacBio. “PacBio HiFi sequencing is enabling scientists to unlock discoveries across a number of important research applications including variant detection and de novo assembly, among others. We look forward to working with our worldwide collaborators to make HiFi sequencing available to anyone seeking industry-leading accuracy and completeness in one easy-to-use technology.”

“The Oxford Genomics Centre, the Core Facility of the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, is excited to invest in the PacBio Sequel IIe, introducing their highly-accurate long-read sequencing to Oxford and beyond,” said David Buck, PhD, Head of High-Throughput Genomics at the Oxford Genomics Centre. “This advance will drive new developments in analyses from whole viral sequences to complete assemblies of complex structural regions of the human genome and their epigenetic footprints.”

The PacBio Sequel II and Sequel IIe Systems provide scientists with access to high throughput, cost-effective, highly accurate long-read sequencing. The recently launched Sequel IIe System features hardware and software improvements that enable users to work directly with HiFi reads, the most valuable and informative sequencing data currently available. HiFi reads combine the accuracy of Sanger sequencing (>99.9%) with long reads (up to 25 kb). Together, the length and accuracy of HiFi reads make them ideal for de novo genome assembly, detection of variants from single nucleotide changes to large structural variants, and other genomic or transcriptomic investigations.

“In addition to highly accurate long-reads, HiFi sequencing offers our research customers many important advantages including easy library preparation, low coverage requirements, small file sizes, and fast assembly,” said Javier Santoyo-Lopez, PhD, Service Manager at Edinburgh Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh.

Steve Paterson, PhD, Professor of Genetics and Director of the Centre for Genomic Research & NERC Environmental Omics Facility, University of Liverpool commented: “We are excited to have two PacBio Sequel II Systems that we can offer to UK researchers. They will give us the power to look at the richness of genomes across species and to help develop new treatments against microbial infections.”

For more information about the PacBio Certified Service Provider Program, please visit www.pacb.com/CSP.

About Pacific Biosciences
Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. (NASDAQ: PACB), is empowering life scientists with highly accurate long-read sequencing. The company’s innovative instruments are based on Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT®) Sequencing technology, which delivers a comprehensive view of genomes, transcriptomes, and epigenomes, enabling access to the full spectrum of genetic variation in any organism. Cited in thousands of peer-reviewed publications, PacBio® sequencing systems are in use by scientists around the world to drive discovery in human biomedical research, plant and animal sciences, and microbiology. For more information please visit www.pacb.com and follow @PacBio.

PacBio products are provided for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this press release that are not historical are forward-looking statements, including, among other things, statements relating to market leadership, uses, accuracy, quality or performance of, or benefits of using, our products or technologies, including SMRT sequencing technology, the expected benefits, suitability or utility of our methods, products or technologies for particular applications or projects, the ability of the Company to be successful in reaching its technological and commercial potential, and other future events. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, changes in circumstances and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond Pacific Biosciences’ control and could cause actual results to differ materially from the information expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made in this press release. Factors that could materially affect actual results can be found in Pacific Biosciences’ most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Pacific Biosciences’ most recent reports on Forms 8-K, 10-K and 10-Q, and include those listed under the caption “Risk Factors.” Pacific Biosciences undertakes no obligation to revise or update information in this press release to reflect events or circumstances in the future, even if new information becomes available.

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