Two Biotech Leaders Join Forces to Reshape Exome Sequencing Economics

The genomics landscape just got more interesting. Element Biosciences and Twist Bioscience have teamed up to tackle one of sequencing’s biggest pain points: cost efficiency without compromising data quality. Their new partnership centers on a streamlined workflow designed specifically for Element’s AVITI sequencing system.

What’s Actually Changing?

At the heart of this collaboration is the Twist for Element Exome 2.0 plus Comprehensive Exome Spike-in Workflow—a mouthful, sure, but the implications are straightforward. Element Biosciences has been positioning itself as the cost-effective alternative in high-throughput sequencing, and this integration with Twist’s proven NGS library preparation tools represents a meaningful step forward.

The workflow eliminates unnecessary conversion steps that typically slow down lab operations. By bundling Twist’s library preparation and target enrichment with the Exome 2.0 panel, Element Biosciences is essentially removing friction from the sequencing pipeline. The result? Fewer per-sample sequencing requirements, which directly translates to lower downstream costs for research labs.

Why This Matters

Element Biosciences CEO Molly He signaled this as part of a broader 2024 roadmap aimed at redefining sequencer capabilities. The statement suggests Element isn’t just competing on hardware—it’s building an ecosystem. By incorporating Twist’s exome solutions, Element Biosciences gains access to market-proven reagents known for high uniformity and minimal off-target rates.

Twist Bioscience’s approach has always been sequencer-agnostic, meaning their NGS workflows can integrate across different platforms. This partnership with Element Biosciences demonstrates how that flexibility creates value. CEO Emily M. Leproust emphasized that such collaborations allow them to extend reach while supporting scientific discovery through better tools.

The Technical Picture

The Exome 2.0 panel itself is built for precision—detecting rare genetic variants, inherited disease markers, and germline cancer susceptibilities. High uniformity and low off-target sequencing rates reduce noise in data, which matters considerably when you’re hunting for subtle genetic signals.

The spike-in component of the workflow serves as an internal quality control mechanism, helping labs verify that their sequencing chemistry is performing as expected. This is particularly valuable in clinical or research settings where data integrity is non-negotiable.

What’s Next?

The workflow is expected to become available in the near term. For labs already using Element’s AVITI system, this integration removes the complexity of sourcing compatible workflows from multiple vendors. Element Biosciences continues expanding its customer base internationally, and better cost economics at every step of the process strengthens that pitch.

This partnership exemplifies a broader trend: as sequencing becomes increasingly commoditized, differentiation moves from pure hardware to integrated solutions. Element Biosciences appears to be betting that researchers care most about total cost of ownership and data quality—and this collaboration with Twist Bioscience directly addresses both.