Roche and Illumina forge genomics alliance for cancer testing

Roche missed out on acquiring next-generation sequencing (NGS) specialist Illumina via a hostile takeover a few years back, but has compensated for that with a 15-year alliance focusing on cancer genomics. The new deal comes after Illumina called off a $1.2 billion merger agreement with another NGS player – Pacific Biosciences or PacBio – after concluding it would be unlikely to make it past antitrust regulators in the US and UK. Illumina is thought to have around 80% of the DNA sequencing market globally. The non-exclusive deal aims to expand access to NGS as well as the clinical use of the technology, and comes as treatment of oncology patients is becoming ever-more individualised based on the genetic profiles of their cancer. “As the understanding of the genomic drivers of cancer evolves, NGS has the potential to transform cancer risk prediction, detection, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring,” say the partners in a joint statement on the deal.