Illumina Growing Partnerships

Genetic sequencing machine maker Illumina has had a slow start as a Vestact recommended stock. It has fluctuated between $275 and $370 per share in recent months. The current price is $351.94.

Goldman Sachs put out a research note last week after hosting Illumina CEO Francis DeSouza at their 40th Annual Global Healthcare Conference from 11 – 13 June 2019 in Rancho Palos Verdes in California. The company is seeing good demand for its newest NovaSeq machines and the associated consumables. The company has a very good lead on its competitors, other than in China where its rivals basically steal its technology and get away with it. The recent acquisition of Pacific Biosciences will add another element to the product mix, and another team of really good scientists.

Apparently, Illumina is very positive about population sequencing projects, which are massive state- or health insurer-funded programmes to study the genes of large groups of people. Illumina is supplying machines to over a half dozen active projects globally and preparing for 50 more.

Management expressed enthusiasm about rising demand for sequencers used to perform liquid biopsies, which are a simple and non-invasive alternative to surgical biopsies in a cancer sufferer. A blood sample is put through an Illumina sequencer and traces of the cancer's DNA in the blood can give clues about which treatments are most likely to work for that patient.



In the consumer genomics field, the market seems to be transitioning from services focusing on genealogy to more health-centric applications. In addition to market leaders like 23andMe and AncestryDNA, there are over 100 early stage companies in consumer genomics.

This is a good stock to own. If you don't own them already, consider sending more funds to your account in New York to add them to your portfolio.