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Illumina introduces the first distributed whole-genome sequencing solution for highly sensitive MRD research
Illumina introduces the first distributed whole-genome sequencing solution for highly sensitive MRD
About this update from Illumina, Inc.
An advanced research workflow for fast, flexible detection of molecular residual disease during and following treatmentSolution is the first in a new WGS oncology portfolio, building on Illumina's history of leadership as foundation for MRD marketSAN DIEGO, May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) today announced a new complete solution for molecular residual disease (MRD) research based on whole-genome sequencing (WGS). As a distributed kit, it will enable more labs to adopt MRD detection for clinical research. Now in early access for select clinical research partners, the MRD solution is the first whole-genome kit with flexibility to enable solid tumor MRD and blood cancer genomic profiling. It is the first in a new portfolio of WGS oncology research offerings, with additional solutions in development leveraging the latest advancements of the NovaSeq X™."In precision healthcare, early and accurate detection of molecular residual disease is critical to monitoring patients during and after cancer treatment," said Todd Christian, senior vice president of Services, Arrays and Genomic Access at Illumina. "Illumina's MRD solution for clinical research leverages the advanced sensitivity of whole-genome sequencing, coupled with unparalleled analysis, to enable our customers to more easily deliver the most precise information to advance MRD research. We aim to make WGS in oncology more accessible and scalable to support the integration of precision solutions into the standard of care."The MRD solution supports "fingerprinting" through solid tumor samples, and MRD detection using blood samples, all compatible on NovaSeq Systems. The end-to-end research workflow can be completed in as fast as 5 days and is optimized for analytical sensitivity as low as 10 ppm, particularly important for early-stage and low-shedding tumors, including breast, ovarian, and renal.Illumina's first-of-its-kind DRAGEN™ MRD analysis connects each fingerprint to serial circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), offering customers flexible workflow combinations to meet their specific needs. Leveraging DRAGEN's unparalleled speed and accuracy, the new MRD solution has been optimized across thousands of samples to develop and demonstrate a ctDNA detection algorithm with 99.5% analytical specificity to distinguish true tumor signals from background noise.Early adopters see strong perform...