PacBio is in it for the long run

Pacific Biosciences of California specialises in long-read technology – a means of sequencing sizeable strands of DNA that is more accurate, though more expensive, than more widely-used short-read approaches. But a bigger rival wants a piece of the action.

This month the sequencing giant Illumina unveiled plans to move into the long-read space. Pacbio’s chief executive, Christian Henry, is unfazed, however. “To be honest with you, I don’t think it’s going to affect our business in the least,” he tells Evaluate Vantage.