UK-based Oxford Nanopore Technologies has announced an extension of its collaboration with US-based UPS Healthcare to accelerate the delivery of Oxford Nanopore DNA/RNA sequencing products and consumables across the Asia Pacific region.

The collaboration will strengthen Oxford Nanopore’s portable, real-time DNA sequencing devices’ supply chain throughout Asia’s main markets. By tapping on UPS’s specialised healthcare logistics solutions, Oxford Nanopore’s customers will enjoy faster delivery with less complexity, removing many customer pain points and leaving more time to pursue high-impact, time-sensitive genomics research and discovery in areas such as human disease, cancer, and agriculture.

Oxford Nanopore’s flow cells will be stored in UPS Healthcare’s temperature-controlled distribution facility in Singapore for the first time and be delivered within 24- to 48- hours through UPS’s cold chain distribution capabilities to destinations across the Asia Pacific. Oxford Nanopore will also tap on UPS Premier’s premium tracking, prioritisation, and recovery service for its time- and temperature-sensitive shipments.

The goal will be same-day despatch and faster delivery of flow cells—the consumable cartridges that contain the technology and chemistry needed for nanopore-based sequencing and are run in conjunction with Oxford Nanopore’s product line.

Oxford Nanopore’s investment in Asia Pacific highlights sustained commitment to serving its growing customer base in the region, with multiple genomics-led research projects flourishing across regional countries. These include, amongst others, pathogen surveillance, translational cancer research and agricultural sequencing, most notably to protect shrimp farming in Malaysia.

This is Oxford Nanopore’s second region served by UPS Healthcare, following a fulfilment agreement signed in 2022 that currently serves the US and Canada. Plans to expand the partnership to other regions globally including Australia are expected to be announced in 2023.