Conclusion of Memorandum of Understanding for Collaboration withOxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
May 6, 2021
TOKYO - Nikon Corporation (Nikon) and Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited (CEO: Dr. Gordon
Sanghera, hereinafter “Oxford Nanopore”), the UK-based company behind a new generation of DNA/RNA
sequencing technology, have signed a memorandum of understanding to initiate a technology
collaboration. The two companies plan to collaborate to bring together Nikon’s world-class microscopic
imaging solutions with Oxford Nanopore’s sequencing technology, for potential deployment in end to end
workflows in research and healthcare settings.
Oxford Nanopore has developed a new generation of sensing technology that can be used to sequence
DNA and RNA. The technology uses nano-scale holes to analyse biological molecules. The technology isused extensively in scientific research, with broad potential future applications in healthcare and industrial
analyses. The technology has played a key role in genomic surveillance of the virus that causes COVID19 in more than 85 countries, and its use is rapidly expanding in human and cancer genetics. It is the only
sequencing technology that offers a combination of real-time analysis (for rapid insights), in fully scalable
formats from pocket to population scale, for use in any environment. It can analyse native DNA/RNA andsequence any length of DNA/RNA fragment from short to ultra-long reads, resulting in the delivery of richbiological information.
Nikon’s Healthcare Business is a core part of the organization, contributing to the fields of biologicalscience and healthcare by using optical and precision technologies. Nikon’s Healthcare Business includes
three main solutions:• Microscope Solutions: Visualizing biological phenomena and contributing to advances in biologicalscience and medicine.
• Cell Solutions (Regenerative medicine/Drug discovery support): Providing solutions for problems incell fields by using cell observation and image analysis technology.
• Ophthalmology Solutions: Opening up new possibilities in the field of ophthalmology with ultrawidefield retinal imaging.
“Oxford Nanopore’s innovative sequencing DNA/RNA technology has been utilized in various scientificresearch around the world and Nikon’s cutting-edge microscopic technology has been used extensively inthe fields of biological science and healthcare. We are pleased to collaborate with Oxford Nanopore togrow and develop together in those fields,” said Toshikazu Umatate, Representative Director andPresident of Nikon. “Our goal is to deliver high-impact applications by combining both technologies in
integrated workflows.”“We are excited about our collaboration with Nikon, whose healthcare business already provides healthrelated insights that have potential to be further enhanced by rapid nanopore sequencing,” said
Dr. Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore. “We are proud to partner with a company with such along heritage in Japanese and international markets.”Oxford Nanopore Overview
Company NameHead Office
CEOFoundation (Year)
Number ofEmployees
Main Businesses

Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
Gosling Building Edmund Halley Road Oxford Science Park OX4 4DQ, UK
Dr. Gordon Sanghera
2005
Approximately 640
Development, manufacturing, sales and servicing of biological analysis
technology, currently focused on devices for sequencing DNA/RNA