Roche has launched its AXELIOS 1 platform in Asia Pacific, enhancing its next-generation sequencing capabilities. This platform, powered by proprietary sequencing by expansion (SBX) technology, aims to provide flexibility and high performance for a variety of sequencing workflows. The announcement follows the initial launch in June 2026 and aims to address the growing demands of researchers in the region.
With the Asia Pacific next-generation sequencing market projected to grow from $3.4 billion in 2025 to $7.38 billion by 2030, the need for rapid and efficient sequencing solutions is increasing. As laboratories face increasing pressures to produce faster results and support diverse research requirements, AXELIOS 1 promises to meet these challenges with its high-speed sequencing capabilities.
Lim Hong Yew, APAC Value Stream Lead at Roche Diagnostics, stated, “For too long, laboratories have had to balance sequencing speed, accuracy, scale, and cost. AXELIOS 1 presents an immense opportunity to change that equation, giving researchers greater flexibility and freedom to pursue studies that are challenging to undertake.” Roche’s goal is to leverage the growing genomics capabilities in Asia Pacific to facilitate advanced research projects.
The AXELIOS 1 utilizes SBX technology, which converts genetic information into synthetic molecules known as Xpandomers. These molecules are approximately 50 times longer than the original DNA, allowing for more precise sequencing. The system can complete sequencing runs in as little as 15 minutes and generate up to 1.8 terabases of data in four hours, with the capability to provide whole-genome sequencing results on the same day.
Changhoon Kim, CEO of Macrogen, emphasized the platform’s broader research applications, noting, “With AXELIOS 1, we saw an opportunity to respond to a wider range of research needs and take on projects that may previously have been difficult to pursue.” This flexibility enables laboratories to adapt to various project sizes without significant changes to their established workflows.
Roche will host AXELIOS Days in Sydney, Australia from November 9-10 and in Seoul, South Korea from November 12-13, 2026. These events will gather researchers and laboratory leaders to discuss potential applications for genomic research and showcase demonstrations of the AXELIOS 1 technology.
Cath Moore, Chief Scientific Officer at the Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF), expressed optimism about the impact of AXELIOS 1 on research capabilities, stating, “The Roche AXELIOS 1 platform brings a different combination of speed, scalability, flexibility, and read-length capability that will help Australian researchers pursue important questions more effectively.”
AXELIOS 1 is intended solely for research use and is not approved for diagnostic procedures. Roche plans to provide library preparation kits and a complimentary bioinformatics analysis suite tailored for SBX technology to further support research efforts across the region.
