Watchmaker to Unveil New Technologies Addressing NGS Workflow Bottlenecks and Sequencing Accuracy Challenges at ESHG 2026

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Watchmaker Genomics, a leader in high-performance NGS workflow solutions, today announced it will unveil two new technologies at the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG) 2026 conference, designed to address persistent bottlenecks in sequencing workflow scalability and amplification accuracy.

The launches include the EquiPlex™ Normalization Kit, which simplifies library normalization using a novel Cas9-based approach, and Equinox^® Prime Library Amplification Master Mix, engineered to improve indel accuracy in repetitive genomic regions while delivering superior amplification performance across sequencing applications.

Built on Watchmaker’s expertise in protein engineering and integrated workflow design, the technologies reflect the company’s continued focus on solving real-world sequencing challenges that impact operational efficiency, scalability, and downstream data quality.

“Sequencing workflows continue to grow in scale and complexity, but many of the core bottlenecks researchers face today remain fundamentally unchanged,” said Trey Foskett, CEO of Watchmaker. “These launches reflect our focus on engineering technologies that not only improve data quality but also simplify workflows and enable researchers to operate more efficiently at scale.”

EquiPlex™ Normalization Kit Simplifies Library Pooling at Scale

EquiPlex introduces a novel approach to library normalization by repurposing CRISPR-Cas9 technology as a stoichiometric molecular binding tool rather than a cutting enzyme. The technology captures a fixed number of molecules from each library, regardless of the starting concentration, enabling rapid, automated normalization across a broad range of applications and sample types.

The workflow eliminates the need for library concentration quality control (QC), dilution calculations, and variable-volume pipetting steps that are difficult to automate, error-prone, and commonly contribute to pooling variability and sequencing imbalance. Compatible with existing RNA-seq, DNA-seq, and methylation sequencing workflows, EquiPlex is designed to streamline sequencing operations and improve pooling consistency without requiring researchers to redesign established library preparation processes.

“Normalization of libraries prior to pooling has always been an annoyance, especially when working at scale,” noted Graham Wiley, PhD, Director of Clinical Genomics Center at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. “Our previous pipelines would often still have an amount of variability that left us needing to perform additional sequencing to reach coverage goals. With Equiplex we've finally found the level of pooling consistency we were searching for.”

Watchmaker is further adapting this CRISPR-enabled normalization strategy as a core component of a novel PCR-free whole genome sequencing solution, designed to streamline fragmentation, normalization, and library construction for labs that require robust, reproducible, high-quality WGS data at scale.

Equinox Prime Improves Amplification Accuracy in Challenging Genomic Regions

Watchmaker will also debut Equinox Prime Library Amplification Master Mix, a next-generation amplification solution engineered to reduce polymerase slippage in homopolymer and repetitive genomic regions prone to indel artifacts.

The technology was designed to improve variant calling accuracy in applications where indel precision is critical, including somatic oncology workflows such as microsatellite instability (MSI) profiling, while also delivering broad performance benefits across whole genome sequencing (WGS), whole exome sequencing (WES), and other sequencing applications.

Beyond improved indel accuracy, Equinox Prime delivers low error rates, high library yields, and uniform GC coverage to support demanding sequencing workflows where amplification performance directly impacts downstream sequencing quality.

“Researchers have historically had to make trade-offs in library amplification performance, balancing yield and coverage uniformity against sequencing accuracy depending on the application,” said Brian Kudlow, CSO of Watchmaker. “Equinox Prime was engineered to eliminate those compromises by delivering improved indel accuracy in repetitive regions alongside low error rates, high yields, and even GC coverage in a single solution.”

Debuting at ESHG 2026

Watchmaker will showcase these advances at ESHG in Gothenburg, Sweden in its featured workshop From Multiomics to Multiplexing: Integrated Advances in DNA, RNA, and Epigenomic Profiling on Monday, June 15th.

The workshop will highlight new approaches for improving sequencing quality, simplifying workflows, and enabling scalable genomics across DNA, RNA, and epigenomic applications, including the debut of EquiPlex and Equinox Prime.

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 to support innovations in cancer detection, epigenetics, and liquid biopsy applications.