14 genomes were sequenced for about $4000. That’s down from the $250,000 that it used to cost. Pretty cool.
From the Mercury news:
“Complete Genomics, a Mountain View startup, announced Tuesday that it had deciphered 14 full human genomes for customers that include pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and leading medical research institutes, a significant step for an industry whose work could revolutionize health care.
[…]
Complete Genomics offered no names or descriptive information about the persons whose genomes were sequenced. The genomes, Reid said, are being studied by customers to validate the company’s technology and for small-scale studies of four types of cancer (breast, lung, colorectal and melanoma), HIV and schizophrenia, the companies said. In the cancer studies, Complete Genomics said, researchers are comparing patients’ tumor genome with their noncancerous genome in search of variations that provide insights into the cause or spread of the disease.
The aim is to use this previously unavailable whole genome data to accurately characterize the tumor and identify its vulnerabilities, which in turn can be used to design more effective therapies.”