Illumina has announced a definitive agreement to acquire SomaLogic, a prominent player in data-driven proteomics technology, and other specified assets from Standard BioTools . The acquisition is valued at $350 million in cash payable at closing, with an additional potential $75 million tied to near-term performance-based milestones and royalties. This strategic move underscores Illumina's commitment to expanding its footprint in the burgeoning proteomics market and advancing its previously announced multiomics strategy from 2024. The acquisition builds upon an existing co-development agreement established in December 2021, which focused on integrating SomaLogic's SomaScan® Proteomics Assay onto Illumina's high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms.
The synergy between SomaLogic's proteomics technology and Illumina's robust NGS ecosystem, including DRAGEN™ software and Illumina Connected Multiomics, is anticipated to significantly accelerate the technology development roadmap for proteomics, thereby reducing both the time and cost associated with proteomic research. Illumina Protein Prep, a direct result of this collaboration, is currently utilized by nearly 40 early-access customers globally and is slated for general availability in the third quarter of 2025. Illumina's CEO, Jacob Thaysen, emphasized that this acquisition will enhance the value of the NovaSeq X product and unlock greater capabilities in advanced biomarker discovery and disease profiling, while also reaffirming Illumina's commitment to maintaining an open and accessible NGS platform that supports existing proteomics partnerships and a diverse range of multiomics solutions.
SomaLogic's aptamer-based affinity proteomics platform is lauded for its high plexity, scalability, and technical reproducibility, enabling researchers to generate significant insights with high sensitivity and throughput for thousands of protein markers in a single experiment. SomaLogic, with approximately 250 employees across commercial, R&D, lab operations, and manufacturing, also brings its Boulder, Colorado facilities, including a CLIA- and CAP-certified lab, to Illumina. This transaction is expected to introduce a high-margin consumables revenue stream through the kitted NGS-based panels business. Based on the projected closing date, Illumina anticipates this business becoming profitable in 2027 on a non-GAAP operating income basis, with non-GAAP operating margins aligning with Illumina's overall margins by 2028.