Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized the way we analyze diseases and commercial outfits such as Illumina, Helicos, QIAGEN and Pacific Biosciences have made significant contributions. In addition, the launch of direct-to-consumer genetic testing solutions has dramatically changed the way consumers access genomics data. Until a few years ago, the cost of sequencing was a major bottleneck. Recent developments have reduced the cost from thousands of dollars to a couple of cents per megabase. When did these changes start? What were the changes in the commercial sector in the last 15 years? This infographic is a timeline of the NGS commercial marketplace.

1. Pacific Biosciences is founded to commercialize
Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT) sequencing
Helicos Biosciences is founded to
commercialize Single Molecule
Sequencing
Lynx®
, credited with massively parallel sequencing,
merges with Solexa®
leading to the development of
sequencing-by-synthesis, used in most NGS platforms
454®
releases the 454 Genome Sequencer (GS20)
Complete Genomics (CG) founded to commercialize
DNA nanoball sequencing technology
2003
2004
2005
2006
Next-Generation Sequencing
Commercial Milestones
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized the way we analyze
diseases and commercial outfits such as Illumina, Helicos, QIAGEN and Pacific
Biosciences have made significant contributions. In addition, the launch of
direct-to-consumer genetic testing solutions has dramatically changed the way
consumers access genomics data. Until a few years ago, the cost of sequencing
was a major bottleneck. Recent developments have reduced the cost from
thousands of dollars to a couple of cents per megabase. When did these
changes start? What were the changes in the commercial sector in the last 15
years?
This infographic is a timeline of the NGS commercial marketplace.
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Sample to Insight
Trademarks: QIAGEN®
, Sample to Insight®
, Ingenuity®
, (QIAGEN Group); 23andMe®
(23andMe Inc.); 454 Life Sciences®
and 454
Genome Sequencer®
(Roche Inc.); Ancestry®
and AncestryDNA®
(Ancestry Inc.); COLOR (Color Genomics Inc.); Counsyl®
(Counsyl Inc.);
GeneReader™ (Intelligent Bio-Systems, Inc.); Helicos Biosciences®
, Helicos Genetic Analyzer®
system, (Helicos Biosciences Inc); ABI®
, Ion
Torrent™, SOLiD System®
(Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.); Lynx Biosciences®
(LynxBio Group); Solexa®
, Genome Analyzer®
, HiSeq®
,
NextSeq®
, Illumina®
(Illumina Inc); Mapmygenome®
(Mapmygenome Inc.); Myriad Genetics®
(Myriad Inc.);Oxford Nanopore®
(Oxford
Nanopore Inc.); Pacific Biosciences®
, SMRT®
(Pacific Biosciences Inc.); Positive Bioscience®
(Positive Biosciences Inc.). Registered names,
trademarks, etc. used in this document, even when not specifically marked as such, are not to be considered unprotected by law.
© 2016 QIAGEN, all rights reserved
The Mouse Genome Sequencing Consortium
sequences the mouse genome and determines that
humans share 99% of genes with mice
The Human Genome Project Consortium completes
sequencing the first draft of the human genome2001
2002
Gene By Gene®
specialized in
DNA-based ancestry and genealogy
as Family Tree DNA
2000
23andMe is the first company to offer DNA analysis
tools to help customers understand their genetic
information and ancestral background
Sequencing Cost/Megabase
$5292.39
$3656.22
$2608.59
$1217.73
$884.39
$642.33
Ion TorrentTM
founded to commercialize
semi-conductor sequencing technology
Illumina, a developer and maker of
microarrays, acquires Solexa
Life Technologies acquires Ion Torrent
ABITM
releases the SOLiDTM
System
Ray Wu, Columbia University scientist credited with
the first method for determining DNA sequences,
dies at 79
Solexa releases Genome Analyzer (Genome A),
it‘s sequencing platform
Oxford Nanopore Technologies showcases its ultra
long single molecule sequencing technology
Detection of inherited mutations for breast
and ovarian cancer using targeted NGS
Helicos releases the first single sequencer, Helicos
Genetic Analyzer System
Helicos Biosciences files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
QIAGEN acquires Ingenuity, a leader
in the analysis and interpretation of
complex biological data
Illumina introduces the HiSeq®
2000
BGI-Shenzhen acquires Complete Genomics
Fred Sanger, “Father of Genomics“ and the only
British scientist to win 2 Nobel Prizes, dies at 95
Illumina introduces the HiSeq X Ten platform;
delivering on their $1000/genome promise
(requires 18,000 genomes are sequenced a year)
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2014
2012
2013
Illumina introduces the NextSeq®
500
platform, a desktop sequencer capable of
sequencing whole genomes
2015
QIAGEN acquires Intelligent Bio-Systems
(IBS) and enters the sequencing market
Illumina introduces the HiSeq®
2500
Association for Molecular Pathology vs. Myriad
Genetics is argued in the US Supreme Court;
Myriad‘s patents on BRCA1/2 are deemed invalid
QIAGEN acquires CLC bio, a leader
in NGS bioinformatics
QIAGEN introduces the GeneReaderTM
sequencer—based on sequencing-
by-synthesis technology
2016
Roche decides to close down 454 Life Sciences
operations, after acquiring them 6 years earlier
Counsyl offers DNA testing and genetic counseling
advice direct to consumers
Positive Bioscience offers cancer genomic and
personal genomic tests direct to consumer
Mapmygenome offers personal
genomics, molecular diagnostics and
DNA forensics direct to consumer
FDA launches the PrecisionFDA platform: an online,
cloud-based portal for NGS assay evaluation and
regulatory science exploration
QIAGEN launches QIAseqTM
NGS
Solutions technology
Ancestry.com launches AncestryDNA Service: an
affordable DNA test combined with the world‘s
largest online family history resource
$479.59
$32.33
$1.57/Mb
$0.38
$0.16
$0.07
$0.06
$0.05
$0.05
$0.03
Seq Cost/Mb
Direct-to-Consumer
Test Markets
Ancestry
Athletic
Carrier
Child talent
Genetic relation
Infidelity
Matchmaking
Nutrigenic
Paternity
View the NGS Clinical Research Milestones Infographic
Human Genome Project completes
sequence of human genome (3.3 Gb)
Color Genomics offers tests to
understand the risk of hereditary
cancers, direct to consumers