Invitrogen acquires single molecule startup Visigen!

[ECO]

As part of their 3rd quarter 2008 earnings announcement, Invitrogen noted that they have purchased early stage single molecule sequencing startup Visigen for $20 million.

Visigen's technology centers on the use of a labeled polymerase and nucleotides which produce an intermolecular FRET fluorescence event during incorporation. They were recently granted what appears to be a key patent in this area.

Applied Biosystems had previously made an equity investment in Visigen.

[mccullou]

Another company with deep pockets ponies up for 3rd gen. This looks like a hybrid between PacBio (single molecule, flurophore on the PO4, monitor incorporation) and Helicos (oligo array, visualize, incorporate, visualize incorporate, etc.). I like the use of a fret moiety on the polymerase, which, for PacBio would dramatically help reduce the false signals from the "always on" unincorporated dNTPs.

Edit: I completely forgot IVGN and ABI are the same. . . so what from SOLiD will show up in VisiGen's 3rd gen scheme and vice-versa. They don't seem all that compatible ligation/hybridization vs SBS?