Commemorating 25 years of innovation, the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) conference launched this year’s event at its original venue on Marco Island, Florida. Just like in previous years, the meeting is packed with important industry announcements and groundbreaking research in the field. This first article will cover some of the initial announcements from AGBT 2025, with many more shared in part II.
Roche
In a webinar the week before the meeting, Roche announced their highly anticipated sequencer. Termed Sequencing by Expansion (SBX), this single-molecule sequencing technology improves nanopore sequencing accuracy by converting nucleic acids into highly measurable Xpandomers. These modified nucleotides eliminate previous challenges of nanopore sequencing by producing distinct, high signal-to-noise base calls, and allowing for fast, high-throughput sequencing with lower error rates. Roche’s sequencing workflow relies on two instruments, one for expansion chemistry and another for sequencing. While pricing details remain undisclosed, SBX is expected to significantly lower sequencing costs and will be open for research use. The full technical details of SBX can be found in a detailed pre-print that covers the principles of their technology.
Key metrics of SBX include:
- Adaptive workflow optimized for diverse sample requirements.
- High accuracy with F1 scores exceeding 99.80% for SNVs and 99.56% for InDels in HG001 whole genome sequencing.
- High throughput, delivering 7 whole genomes at >30x coverage in just 1 hour and generating over 5 billion duplex reads per hour.
- Customizable read lengths ranging from 50bp to over 1000bp.
- Quick processing options for time-sensitive samples, enabling sample-to-VCF in under 7 hours.
Illumina presented a significant expansion of their multiomics portfolio during Monday’s Gold Sponsor Workshop which included updates on Constellation mapped reads, 5-base methylation, multimodal analysis software, single-cell Perturb-seq, protein prep, and spatial transcriptomics. Although still in development, Illumina’s Constellation mapped reads are already delivering valuable insights. This technology utilizes on-flow cell library preparation and proximity data from neighboring nanowells to deliver long-range genomic insights with standard Illumina sequencing. Stephen Kingsmore from Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine presented his work where Constellation was able to provide necessary insights to understand mutations in a child with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 11.
Illumina Protein Prep is in early access, can be performed on Illumina instruments, and boasts 9.5K human targets as well as low cost per protein target. The company also introduced a scalable single-cell solution for CRISPR research that expands on Perturb-seq experiments for drug discovery and disease research. Set for release by late 2025, it offers improved sensitivity, cost-efficiency, and broad compatibility by using Fluent PIPseq technology and DRAGEN analysis.
Additionally, Illumina introduced a 5-base solution for methylation analysis and variant calling to enable genetic and epigenetic insights in a single assay. Expected to launch in 2026, this epigenetic solution will provide 5-base insights across the genome, cell-free DNA, and targeted assays within a single, efficient workflow, combining library preparation, sequencing, and analysis.
Finally, Illumina presented a new spatial transcriptomics technology that maps complex tissues and cellular interactions at large scale and high resolution. Illumina is collaborating with the Broad Institute to apply this spatial technology and generate large-scale spatial datasets. The new system was designed to integrate with Illumina sequencers and a new multimodal analysis platform. A commercial launch is planned for 2026, with early data being presented at AGBT.
Element Biosciences
Days before the meeting, Element Biosciences presented the Innovation Roadmap for AVITI24, their spatial multiomic sequencing platform. During the online event and throughout the meeting, they highlighted upcoming upgrades aimed at improving scalability and multi-dimensional data integration for research and drug development.
Plans for H1 of 2025 include:
- New Teton Panels for immuno-oncology and neuroscience applications.
- Custom protein profiling with options for 88 proteins or pre-designed 24-target mini-panels.
- Expanded sample compatibility for PBMCs, T cells, B cells, and bone marrow mononuclear cells.
- Higher throughput using a 48-well slide kit that processes thousands of cells in under 24 hours, enabling AI-assisted analysis.
- Direct sequencing from samples, eliminating library preparation for whole transcriptome and targeted RNA sequencing.
- Custom workflow builder, adding support for optical pooled screens and custom protein analysis.
Scale Biosciences announced the availability of their QuantumScale Single Cell RNA kits. These kits offer cost-effective, scalable single-cell RNA sequencing without specialized instrumentation. QuantumScale kits can process 84,000 to 4 million cells, and utilize ScalePlex technology to support multiplexing of up to 9,216 samples. The costs make large-scale projects more accessible with current pricing listed as under $100 per sample and less than 1 cent per cell. Available in multiple configurations, these kits are shipping to early-access customers and will be widely available soon.
Complete Genomics
On Monday, Complete Genomics launched two new sequencers: the DNBSEQ-T1+ and DNBSEQ-E25. The DNBSEQ-T1+ is a mid-throughput sequencer that can deliver paired-end 150 sequencing in 24 hours with Q40 accuracy. It features three flow cell formats, dual independent flow cell operation, and a throughput range of 25–1,200 Gb. This instrument also supports automated workflows, reduced reagent requirements, and cost efficiency to increase accessibility. The DNBSEQ-T1+ is currently available for global pre-order.
The DNBSEQ-E25 Flash is an upgraded version of Complete Genomic’s portable sequencer, the DNBSEQ-E25 instrument. Current upgrades include an AI-powered base-calling system on the NVIDIA Jetson platform that accelerates sequencing, while a single-substrate injection eliminates the need for dual-luciferase systems. This reduces cycle times to one minute and allows for single-end (SE) sequencing runs in less than 2 hours.
There were too many updates to include in one post, so don't check out part II now!