Twist Bioscience Launches Full Length Unique Dual Index Adapters to Enable PCR-free Whole Genome Sequencing

Adds to robust offering of NGS tools enabling exome sequencing, whole genome sequencing, RNA sequencing and methylation detection

Enables multiplexing and high throughput sequencing

New offering expands and complements Twist’s portfolio of universal adapters

Twist Full Length UDI Adapters to be highlighted at ASHG 2023

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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 the launch of Twist Full Length Unique Dual Index Adapters to enable PCR-free whole genome sequencing (WGS) and multiplexing at scale.

The new adapters include unique dual indexing (UDI) sequences, along with flow cell binding site and sequencing priming site, enabling NGS library preparation in a single ligation step and eliminating the need for PCR and amplification. This can streamline the library preparation workflow, reduce hands-on time, and also eliminate the sequence errors and artifacts potentially introduced during PCR amplification. The product comes with 1536 UDIs, which are barcoded indexes that allow for the tracking of individual samples. This is critical for researchers who multiplex, running tests on many samples at once to lower per-sample costs and increasing efficiency, such as core labs and scientists studying population genetics. Twist Full Length UDI Adapters enable researchers to track and run up to 1536 samples through a single sequencing run, while maintaining data integrity by identifying errors that occur from index hopping or well to well contamination prior to data analysis.

“As we grow our customer base, we are continuing to expand our offering to meet our customers’ needs, whether that is whole genome, exome or RNA sequencing,” said Emily M. Leproust, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Twist Bioscience. “With Twist Full Length UDI Adapters, we can enable PCR-free whole genome sequencing for our customers pursuing that approach, including our customers in Europe where PCR-free WGS has gained traction.”

Twist Full Length Unique Dual Index Adapters

Twist Full Length UDI Adapters add to Twist’s portfolio of universal adapter systems, which include Twist Universal Adapter System and Twist High Throughput Universal Adapter System. Twist Full Length UDI Adapters include 1,536 indexes and come in automation-friendly configurations of 96 or 384 sets of adapters, giving customers the ability to multiplex anywhere between two and 1,536 samples. The full length UDI adapters can be used in various NGS workflows and for PCR-free whole genome sequencing.

Presence at American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG)

Twist will have a booth at the American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting 2023 in Washington, D.C., where the new offering will be highlighted at the Twist in-booth (booth #322) presentation “Twist NGS Library Prep & Enrichment Solutions” on Thursday, November 2 at 11:00 AM ET.

Twist will also present “Portfolio of RNA Sequencing Tools” in-booth on Friday, November 3 at 11:00 AM ET. In addition, the poster “Targeted sequencing of 50+ pathogenic repeat expansions using Twist target enrichment and PacBio HiFi sequencing” will be available for viewing on Saturday, November 4 from 2:15-4:45 PM ET.

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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Twist Bioscience Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained herein, including statements regarding the ability of Twist Full Length UDIs to enable PCR-free WGS and multiplexing at scale, 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. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the ability to achieve the expected benefits of Twist Bioscience’s workforce reduction and reduced investments in DNA data storage; the ability to attract new customers and retain and grow sales from existing customers; the ability of Twist to achieve sufficient revenue to achieve or maintain positive cash flow from operations or profitability in any given period; risks and uncertainties of rapidly changing technologies and extensive competition in synthetic biology that could make the products Twist Bioscience is developing obsolete or non-competitive; uncertainties of the retention of significant customers; the ability of Twist Bioscience to successfully integrate acquired companies and to achieve expected benefits from acquisitions; supply chain and other disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise; risks of third party claims alleging infringement of patents and proprietary rights or seeking to invalidate Twist Bioscience’s patents or proprietary rights; and the risk that Twist Bioscience’s proprietary rights may be insufficient to protect its technologies. 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 August 7, 2023 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.