GATC acquires SOLiD DNA Sequencer from Applied Biosystems

GATC Biotech, a leading sequencing service provider in Europe, today announced the acquisition of a SOLiD™ DNA sequencing system from Applied Biosystems.

The new system will be the third next generation sequencing technology to be installed in GATC's German research facility in Constance, which currently holds the GS FLX™ from Roche Diagnostics as well as the Genome Analyzer™ from Illumina. Being a part of Applied Biosystems' Early-Access Program, the SOLiD System is expected to be installed in early autumn this year and will boost the company's current sequencing capacity from 130 gigabases to 250 gigabases a year. Therefore GATC will be the first and only commercial sequencing service provider worldwide being able to offer ultra high-throughput DNA analysis using all three leading next generation sequencing technologies.

"We decided to acquire the SOLiD System in order to complement our range of next generation sequencers, as they are all based on different technologies or chemistries," said Thomas Pohl, CTO of GATC Biotech. "This unique scope gives us the opportunity to develop a wide breadth of different applications in cooperation with our customers and the manufacturers. We are proud to join Applied Biosystems' Early-Access Program as we are able to elaborate the best strategy for each distinct sequencing project in a very early stage. By using the 454 and Solexa systems in combination with the classic Sanger method for various projects we have already gained profound knowledge with the next generation sequencing systems during the past months. This experience will be extremely valuable for implementing the SOLiD system quickly into daily lab routines and to use it for standard as well as for cutting-edge applications. Moreover, our customers will have access to the latest technology of Applied Biosystems in a very early stage."