Watchmaker Genomics, a leading provider of precision tools for genomic research and clinical applications, today announced the successful completion of a key milestone under its TAPS (TET-assisted pyridine borane sequencing) Technology License and Supply Alliance1 with Exact Sciences. This progress underscores Watchmaker's commitment to commercializing TAPS, a transformative epigenetic analysis technology for high-accuracy genomic DNA methylation analysis, and accelerates efforts to bring TAPS-powered products to market, with early access programs launching soon and full commercial availability anticipated later in 2025.
TAPS enables direct and high-fidelity methylation mapping with significantly reduced template damage and noise compared to conventional bisulfite sequencing, unlocking new possibilities for research and clinical applications, including liquid biopsy-based cancer detection and identification of novel epigenetic biomarkers. Unlike traditional methods, TAPS provides a positive readout by selectively converting methylated and hydroxymethylated cytosine into thymine, preserving DNA integrity, enabling simultaneous genetic variant calling, and improving sequencing efficiency. This innovation supports multi-modal assay development, facilitating more cost-effective and integrated genomic and epigenomic analysis. Multi-modal approaches have the potential to enhance clinical assays by providing rich information beyond genomic alterations. Recent studies2 demonstrate that TAPS extends this capability by adding epigenetic variation to the analysis, further enabling oncology screening through its less sample-destructive properties.
"Achieving this milestone is an important step in our mission to deliver cutting-edge solutions that empower researchers and clinicians with more precise epigenetic insights," said Trey Foskett, Co-Founder and CEO of Watchmaker Genomics. "TAPS represents a fundamental leap in DNA methylation analysis technology, and we are committed to advancing its commercialization to meet the growing demand for highly sensitive, specific, and cost-effective epigenome analysis tools."
Under the previously announced alliance, Watchmaker Genomics and Exact Sciences are working to advance TAPS Technology as a platform for a range of applications. Watchmaker is focused on enhancing the technology's performance and driving broader adoption across the genomics industry. In addition, Watchmaker is leveraging its expertise in protein engineering and next-generation sequencing (NGS) chemistry to further enhance the technology's performance, workflow, and scalability.
Completing this technology transfer milestone signals a full-scale commitment to the commercialization of TAPS, with research collaborations and product development efforts well underway. As part of this initiative, the company will engage early access partners ahead of a planned product launch in 2025. More information on the advancements of TAPS technology and commercialization plans will be presented at the 2025 Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) conference, featuring a talk and a poster presentation, taking place February 23-26, 2025, in Marco Island, Florida.
For more information about Watchmaker Genomics and its commitment to advancing high-precision genomic analysis, please visit www.watchmakergenomics.com.
About Watchmaker Genomics:
Watchmaker Genomics is a life sciences company focused on developing high-performance tools that empower genomic research and clinical applications. Leveraging expertise in protein engineering and next-generation sequencing, Watchmaker delivers precision reagents and platforms that enable superior accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in molecular analysis. The company is dedicated to advancing breakthrough technologies like TAPS to support innovations in cancer detection, epigenetics, and liquid biopsy applications.
Sources:
- Previously announced alliance, 30 Aug 2023. https://watchmakergenomics.com/news-and-events/watchmaker-genomics-announces-co-exclusive-license-to-disruptive-dna-methylation-technology-and-strategic-supply-agreements-with-exact-sciences/
- Vavoulis, D.V., Cutts, A., Thota, N. et al. Multimodal cell-free DNA whole-genome TAPS is sensitive and reveals specific cancer signals. Nat Commun 16, 430 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55428-y
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Contacts:
Media Contact:
Sandra Rowe
sandra.rowe@watchmakergenomics.com
