Illumina, Inc. and Takara Bio USA, Inc. announced a new spatial transcriptomics workflow at the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) 2026 meeting held February 23‑26, 2026. The partnership combines Takara Bio’s Trekker Single‑Cell Spatial Mapping Kit with Illumina’s Single Cell 3′ RNA Prep assay, creating an instrument‑free, high‑density, high‑sensitivity solution that can resolve over 100,000 spatially resolved nuclei per sample.
The collaboration expands Illumina’s spatial multi‑omics portfolio and positions the company to capture a rapidly growing market. The spatial transcriptomics market is projected to reach $1.3 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 14.7% from 2025 to 2033. By offering an instrument‑free workflow, the partnership lowers the barrier to entry for researchers and could accelerate adoption across oncology, drug discovery, and basic research.
Illumina’s recent financial performance underscores the strategic importance of the new product. In Q4 2025, the company reported revenue of $1.16 billion, up 5% year‑over‑year, and a GAAP diluted EPS of $2.16. Non‑GAAP operating margin expanded to 23.7%, up 400 basis points from the prior year, reflecting disciplined cost control and a favorable product mix. For fiscal 2025, revenue was $4.34 billion, flat versus 2024, with a GAAP diluted EPS of $5.45.
The company has guided for fiscal 2026 revenue of $4.5 billion to $4.6 billion and non‑GAAP diluted EPS of $5.05 to $5.20, noting an estimated $0.18 billion in dilution from the recently closed SomaLogic acquisition. Investors have responded cautiously, citing the dilution and broader market uncertainties, even as the company’s earnings beat expectations.
CEO Jacob Thaysen highlighted the company’s return to growth, noting that disciplined execution against the 2024 strategy has driven the Q4 2025 results. The new spatial transcriptomics workflow aligns with Illumina’s broader multi‑omics strategy, which includes genomics, single‑cell, proteomics, and epigenetics, and is expected to generate additional consumables revenue as the market matures.
Takara Bio’s recent acquisition of Curio Bioscience further strengthens its spatial biology offerings, complementing the new partnership with Illumina. The instrument‑free workflow is expected to accelerate adoption among researchers who previously faced high capital costs for spatial transcriptomics instruments.
Overall, the collaboration represents a strategic product launch that could broaden Illumina’s revenue base and reinforce its competitive moat in the spatial biology space, while the company’s recent earnings and guidance suggest a cautious but optimistic outlook for the near term.
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