Life Unveiled Ion Proton in India - Analyst Blog
March 14 2012 - 10:30AM
Zacks
Last week, Life
Technologies (LIFE) introduced the new Benchtop Ion Proton
sequencer in India. The significance of the emerging markets cannot
be over-emphasized for companies like Life Tech. As a result
of its increasing focus on the emerging markets, this region now
accounts for approximately 10% of total sales.
Earlier this year, the company had
unveiled the Benchtop Ion Proton sequencer at the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The company is already taking orders
for the same, which is expected to hit the market in mid-2012.
Based on next generation
semiconductor technology, the device will be able to sequence the
entire human genome in one day for $1,000. The DNA sequencing
market is likely to get more competitive as San Diego-based
Illumina (ILMN) is also looking at launching its
HiSeq 2500 in the second half of 2012.
Genome sequencing, currently in
vogue, uses optical based technologies that may take weeks to
deliver results and is also dearer at $5,000−$10,000. In addition,
the high cost of the instrument ($500,000−$750,000) has been a
deterrent to its expansion in research labs. The first sequencing
of the human genome was announced more than a decade ago in the
White House in June 2000. Since then the focus has been on reducing
the cost of sequencing a gene so that this specialized know-how can
benefit the patient community at large.
The Ion franchise was inducted into
Life Technologies’ portfolio with the acquisition of Ion Torrent, a
DNA sequencing company, in October 2010. For the past few quarters,
the company has been recording robust growth from its Ion personal
genome machine (“PGM”) that was launched in December 2010, taking
the total number of system placements to 700 in 2011.
The company is satisfied with the
progress made so far with Ion Torrent technologies and expects the
growth momentum to continue. This will be supported by more PGM
placements and the scheduled launch of the Ion Proton Benchtop
sequencer. In October 2011, the Ion franchise was further boosted
by the launch of the Ion AmpliSeq Cancer Panel to help scientists
to sequence dozens of genes in cancer research samples using a
simple workflow. With the launch of new products, contributions
from the Ion portfolio are expected to increase over the next few
quarters.
We have a Neutral recommendation on
Life Technologies. The stock retains a Zacks #3 Rank (Hold) in the
short term.
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