ABL Diagnostics to launch HybridChek for HIV and tuberculosis sequencing

By AI, Created 8:41 AM UTC, June 05, 2026, /AGP/ – ABL Diagnostics is preparing to roll out HybridChek, a new hybrid-capture NGS portfolio for HIV and tuberculosis whole-genome sequencing. The move extends the company’s microbiology workflow from amplicon-only testing to a single platform that supports both major targeted sequencing approaches.

Why it matters: - ABL Diagnostics is expanding from targeted sequencing into hybrid-capture whole-genome workflows, broadening its role in microbial genomics. - The launch is aimed at pathology and microbiology laboratories that need flexible sequencing methods for resistance analysis, surveillance and sample types that are harder to test with PCR-based workflows. - The first applications focus on HIV and tuberculosis, two pathogens with high public-health relevance and complex mutation profiles.

What happened: - ABL Diagnostics announced the upcoming launch of HybridChek, a proprietary hybrid capture-based next-generation sequencing portfolio. - The company said HybridChek will sit alongside its existing Amplicon Sequencing offer inside the DeepChek and MicrobioChek bioinformatics environment. - The first HybridChek products will cover HIV and tuberculosis whole-genome sequencing. - HybridChek products are under development and will launch first as research use only products. - The products are not cleared, approved or intended for clinical diagnostic use, and clinical utility has not been established.

The details: - The tuberculosis assay targets the full Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, including M. tuberculosis, M. bovis and M. africanum. - ABL Diagnostics says the tuberculosis assay can achieve up to 99% genome recovery. - The tuberculosis workflow is designed for high-resolution analysis of resistance-associated mutations using MicrobioChek software and curated databases, including the WHO catalogue for epidemiological research. - The HIV assay was designed using more than 6,000 HIV-1 Group M genomes. - The HIV workflow is intended to cover global subtypes and recombinant forms. - The HIV assay supports whole-genome analysis, subtype characterization and mutation profiling in one workflow. - Amplicon sequencing remains positioned for targeted panels such as reverse transcriptase, protease and integrase. - Hybrid capture is positioned for whole-genome sequencing, degraded samples and low-input specimens where PCR-based methods can face technical bottlenecks. - ABL Diagnostics says HybridChek data can be processed through existing DeepChek and MicrobioChek platforms that are already verified across Amplicon and Hybrid Capture workflows. - The company says that setup reduces multi-vendor software fragmentation and lowers laboratory onboarding friction. - Dr. Sofiane Mohamed, head of R&D at ABL Diagnostics, said HybridChek combines Hybrid Capture and Amplicon technologies with bioinformatics solutions already verified across both approaches. - ABL Diagnostics said some of its verified software ecosystem is currently CE-IVD marked. - The company said the new portfolio reinforces its position as a single-source vendor for partner laboratories. - ABL Diagnostics also said the expansion supports recurring customer lifetime value. - The company’s core product lines include UltraGene PCR detection and DeepChek DNA sequencing. - ABL Diagnostics markets its products globally through its own sales team and exclusive distributors on all continents. - The company serves academic clinical pathology laboratories, private reference laboratories and researchers. - ABL Diagnostics also markets products from sister company CDL Pharma under an intra-group strategy agreement that began in the second half of 2025.

Between the lines: - HybridChek lets ABL Diagnostics offer both major targeted sequencing methods inside one software environment, which may reduce procurement and workflow complexity for labs. - The company is using software integration as a commercial advantage, not just the wet-lab assay itself. - ABL Diagnostics is targeting a portion of the hybridization-capture market rather than the full market, focusing on microbiology and pathogen sequencing. - Grand View Research estimates the global hybridization capture-based NGS market at about $241 million in 2024 and nearly $473 million by 2030.

What’s next: - ABL Diagnostics plans to make HybridChek available after development is complete. - The company expects the portfolio to expand its footprint in laboratories that need both targeted and whole-genome sequencing options. - Future adoption will depend on development progress, regulatory pathways and market conditions, which the company said could shift from current expectations.

The bottom line: - ABL Diagnostics is turning its sequencing platform into a broader laboratory workflow offering, with HIV and tuberculosis as the first test cases for that strategy.