BioTech IP Review

Systems and Methods for Next-Generation Sequencing Uniform Probe Design

  • Assignee: Tempus AI, Inc.
  • Patent Number: 12,365,943
  • Filed: May 18, 2021
  • Issued: July 22, 2025
  • Inventor: Richard Blidner, et al.
  • Title: Systems and Methods for Next-Generation Sequencing Uniform Probe Design

What It Covers

This U.S. patent protects a technical innovation in next-generation sequencing (NGS) probe design — specifically systems and methods for optimizing probe sets used in sequencing workflows. Probe sets are collections of short DNA sequences that bind target genomic regions of interest during sequencing-based assays.

  • Probe Optimization Process:
    — The method begins with an initial set of candidate DNA probes, each with an associated concentration. These probes are tested against a sequencing sample library to measure their recovery rates (how effectively each probe captures its target sequence).
    — Probes that do not meet predetermined recovery thresholds are adjusted in concentration and retested. This iterative process continues until the entire probe set consistently meets performance targets.
    — The result is an optimized set of probes that delivers uniform coverage and improved sequencing performance across target regions — a key factor for accurate genomic profiling in diagnostics.
  • Relevance to Genomic Testing:
    This optimization helps ensure that sequencing assays can reliably detect variants and biomarkers — such as somatic mutations, copy-number changes, and other clinically actionable alterations — even in complex samples like tumor tissue or cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from blood.

Why It’s Important

Core to Precision Oncology & Liquid Biopsy Tests

Next-generation sequencing probe design is at the heart of comprehensive genomic profiling platforms like Tempus’s oncology assays (e.g., the FDA-approved xT CDx) and liquid biopsy products. Better probe design leads to higher sensitivity and accuracy, which drives clinical adoption, reimbursement, and commercial differentiation.

Enhances Diagnostic Performance

By optimizing probe coverage and uniformity, this technology supports broader detection of genomic alterations across patient samples — including low-frequency variants — improving Tempus’s ability to inform treatment decisions in oncology and other disease areas.

Strengthens Competitive Position in a High-Growth Market

Precision cancer diagnostics and AI-driven genomic analysis are multi-billion-dollar markets. Owning IP that improves sequencing performance helps Tempus defend its position against competitors and can be valuable in partnerships, licensing, and litigation. (Tempus is involved in ongoing patent disputes related to genomic sequencing technologies, underscoring the strategic value of its own IP.)

Extends Platform Value

Since cheap, accurate sequencing underpins many of Tempus’s offerings — from tumor molecular profiling to minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring and treatment response tracking — this patent supports a wide range of current and future business lines.

Summary

U.S. Patent No. 12,365,943, issued on July 22, 2025 to Tempus AI, Inc., covers systems and methods for optimizing next-generation sequencing probe sets to achieve uniform, high-performance genomic coverage. This technology is foundational to Tempus’s precision oncology and diagnostic platforms, enabling better detection of genomic biomarkers that guide cancer care and other precision medicine applications.

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