DNAnexus and Twist Bioscience Collaborate to Provide Data Analysis Software for NGS Workflow

Collaboration integrates DNAnexus’ proven biomedical data analysis platform with Twist’s NGS Methylation Detection and Unique Molecular Identifier Adapter Systems

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. & SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#BiomedicalData--DNAnexus, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based biomedical data analysis software serving the life sciences community, and Twist Bioscience Corporation (NASDAQ: TWST), a company enabling customers to succeed through its offering of high-quality synthetic DNA using its silicon platform, today announced a collaboration aimed at accelerating research and reducing the time to design, validate, and commercialize new, high-quality, next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based diagnostic tests. As part of the collaboration, Twist customers are able to use the integrated DNAnexus platform with Twist’s NGS Methylation Detection System and Unique Molecular Identifier (UMI) Adapter System to simplify data analysis after sequencing.

The Twist NGS Methylation Detection System provides robust sample preparation and target enrichment solutions for identifying methylated regions in the human genome. Rare diseases, cancer, and other disorders can be identified by unique methylation patterns within samples. The NGS Methylation Detection System uses highly sensitive hybridization capture-based technology that can be integrated into diagnostic tests. This workflow can also be used to better characterize and understand the genetic mechanisms linked to specific conditions including cancer, neurodegeneration, and rare diseases. The Twist UMI Adapter System detects low-frequency variants in low-input sample sources such as cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and can be used to enable cancer research. The DNAnexus platform allows users to easily explore and analyze complex datasets in a single, scalable, cloud-based environment.

“This collaboration with DNAnexus is another example of our ongoing commitment to providing our customers with the tools they need for complete, customized, end-to-end workflows,” said Emily M. Leproust, PhD, CEO and co-founder of Twist Bioscience. “Our customers can now access industry-leading computational infrastructure platforms to support their bioinformatics needs and reduce their data analysis timeline after performing a sequencing run with our NGS Methylation Detection and UMI Adapter Systems.”

Today, DNAnexus has more than 12,000 users across 48 countries and works with the largest and most innovative pharmaceutical companies, diagnostic laboratories, and academic medical centers around the world, along with the UK Biobank and the FDA. The platform provides a comprehensive cloud environment that supports the entire diagnostic development and production cycle from R&D through to deployment of the validated test. The environment was designed to meet the most rigorous standards for quality, security, privacy, and safety.

“Twist’s proprietary synthetic DNA tools continue to be used to advance research and precision medicine and to change the way diagnostics are developed,” said John Ellithorpe, PhD, President of DNAnexus. “With the integrated DNAnexus platform, Twist customers can now reduce the complex data analysis bottleneck, which we believe will offer significant time savings and cost advantages.”

About Twist Bioscience Corporation

Twist Bioscience is a leading and rapidly growing synthetic biology and genomics company that has developed a disruptive DNA synthesis platform to industrialize the engineering of biology. The core of the platform is a proprietary technology that pioneers a new method of manufacturing synthetic DNA by “writing” DNA on a silicon chip. Twist is leveraging its unique technology to manufacture a broad range of synthetic DNA-based products, including synthetic genes, tools for next-generation sequencing (NGS) preparation, and antibody libraries for drug discovery and development. Twist is also pursuing longer-term opportunities in digital data storage in DNA and biologics drug discovery. Twist makes products for use across many industries including healthcare, industrial chemicals, agriculture, and academic research.

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About DNAnexus

To improve human health, researchers and clinicians need to access complex and sensitive biomedical data and innovative technologies that can enable novel insights. However, these data are often incompatible or difficult to process. DNAnexus is the leading bioinformatics company that facilitates secure access and utilization of biomedical data while supporting collaboration across internal and external teams. From providing an end-to-end integrated diagnostic R&D and production bioinformatics platform that enables national biobank biomedical initiatives to providing pharmaceutical companies with a multi-omics data science platform for new target drug discovery, DNAnexus empowers the healthcare and life sciences industry to transform how they leverage biomedical data to accelerate scientific discoveries and deliver better patient care. For more information on DNAnexus, please visit www.dnanexus.com or follow the company @DNAnexus.

Twist Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained herein, including but not limited to the ability of the collaboration to simplify data analysis and accelerate research and the development and implementation of new diagnostic tests, are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that may cause Twist Bioscience’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Twist Bioscience’s business in general, see Twist Bioscience’s risk factors set forth in Twist Bioscience’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2022 and subsequent filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Twist Bioscience specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For DNAnexus:
Andrew Noble
415-722-2129
andrew@bioscribe.com

For Twist Bioscience:
Angela Bitting
925-202-6211
abitting@twistbioscience.com