100 Billion Reads Per Day: Ultima Genomics Expands Sequencing Capacity

Ultima Genomics has launched its UG 100 Solaris sequencing platform at the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) Conference on February 24, 2025. The updated version integrates new chemistry, upgraded software, and simplified workflows, enhancing both output and cost efficiency.

The platform increases sequencing output by over 50%, reaching 10 to 12 billion reads per wafer, while reducing the cost per million reads by 20% to $0.24—bringing the company closer to its target of the “$80 genome.” The SNVQ60 ppmSeq mode enables 30X genome coverage using 2 nanograms of DNA, less than the amount typically required from a standard blood sample.

Ultima has also introduced early access for UG 100 Solaris Boost, a high-throughput operating mode designed for short-read applications that can generate up to 100 billion reads per day. Initial installations for early-access sites are underway, with full commercial availability expected later in 2025.

The platform is currently in use at more than 15 customer sites. Kenny Beckman, Director at the University of Minnesota Genomics Center, stated:

"The UG 100 has really transformed the way we approach high-depth projects. At the per-read cost of the new Solaris chemistry, we are simply replacing sequence capture with whole-genome sequencing. We have been amazed to see, in our initial projects, that it's less expensive — not to mention way simpler — to sequence the whole human genome at 30X than to carry out a capture of just 1/1000th of it. The resulting data is free of the compromises that we have with sequence capture. For model organism genomes like Drosophila, where our 30X WGS cost is now just a few dollars, we see a path to 30X WGS as an everyday means to characterize variants and genome edits. The possibilities are endless."

Stacey Gabriel, Executive Vice President of Platforms and Scientific Execution at the Broad Institute, noted that the new Solaris chemistry has delivered a considerable increase in output on the UG 100 Sequencer, while reducing costs in a way that "will enable many applications for the Broad community." The platform has reportedly supported large-scale projects, benefiting from increased throughput and improved automation.

At Regeneron Genetics Center, Vice President John Overton emphasized the importance of sequencing throughput for the organization’s large-scale genetic research initiatives, particularly the plans to utilize the platform for the UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project, which aims to build what could become the most extensive proteomics dataset globally.

Johnny Yu, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder of Vevo Therapeutics, pointed to the growing relevance of large-scale datasets and AI/ML techniques in accelerating drug discovery—in collaboration with Parse Biosciences, Vevo Therapeutics has used Ultima Genomics' UG 100TM technology to develop a 100-million-cell transcriptomic dataset, which it reports as supporting its large-scale machine learning models for drug discovery. The company now plans to open-source the dataset with support from NVIDIA.

See also: Vevo Therapeutics Plans to Open Source 100M Single-Cell Atlas for Drug Discovery

CEO Gilad Almogy presented Solaris Boost as an example of Ultima’s flexible sequencing architecture, stating that it reflects the company’s efforts to scale genomic data generation to meet the growing demands of research and clinical applications.

Topics: Tools & Methods