Illumina expands Billion Cell Atlas program with new AI drug developers

Rhea-AI Summary

Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) announced an expansion of its Billion Cell Atlas alliance, adding three new member companies, including AI-native drug developer Formation Bio. Alliance members will use Illumina's large-scale genome-wide perturbation dataset as infrastructure for AI-driven drug discovery, design, and development.

Launched in January 2026 with AstraZeneca, Merck, and Eli Lilly, the Atlas has sequenced over 350 million cells, generating about six petabytes of genomic data across hundreds of healthy and disease-relevant cell types. According to Illumina, partners can use this resource to discover and validate novel targets, study mechanisms of action, refine indication selection, and better match patient subgroups and trial designs, aiming to increase the likelihood that new medicines reach approval.

News Market Reaction – ILMN

+1.66%

+1.66% Session close to close

In the Jul 16 session, ILMN gained 1.66%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

Framing this Billion Cell Atlas expansion against Illumina’s AI-tagged history, the earlier Atlas la...

Analysis

Framing this Billion Cell Atlas expansion against Illumina’s AI-tagged history, the earlier Atlas launch saw a modest 0.99% gain, while current short interest is categorized as low and recent insider activity skews toward net selling, both worth monitoring around future AI updates.

Key Figures

New alliance members: 3 companies Cells sequenced: 350 million cells Genomic data scale: 6 petabytes

3 metrics

New alliance members 3 companies Billion Cell Atlas alliance expansion

Cells sequenced 350 million cells Billion Cell Atlas to date

Genomic data scale 6 petabytes Data generated by Billion Cell Atlas

Previous AI Reports

1 past event · Latest: Jan 13 (Positive)

Same Type Pattern 1 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Jan 13	AI platform launch	Positive	+1.0%	Introduced Billion Cell Atlas to support AI-driven drug discovery partnerships.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

On the only prior AI-tagged Billion Cell Atlas announcement, the stock reacted modestly positively.

Key Terms

genome-wide perturbation data, virtual cell models, single-cell perturbation data, clinical trial design

4 terms

genome-wide perturbation data technical

"use the unprecedented scale of Illumina's genome-wide perturbation data as infrastructure"

Data produced by experiments that systematically change (perturb) every gene across the genome to see how cells respond, typically using tools like CRISPR, RNA interference, or chemical treatments. Think of it like testing every fuse in a complex electrical panel to see which ones affect a machine’s behavior; for investors, these data help reveal which genes or pathways are promising drug targets, biomarkers, or sources of biological risk and can inform how credible a biotech’s research claims appear.

virtual cell models technical

"We are creating the foundational framework to train virtual cell models and solve"

Computer-based simulations that recreate how biological cells behave by combining data about chemistry, genetics, and physical processes; think of them as digital twins of real cells used to predict responses to drugs, toxins, or genetic changes. They matter to investors because they can reduce the time and cost of research, de-risk drug development or product testing, and influence regulatory decisions and commercial timelines in life sciences and biotech sectors.

single-cell perturbation data technical

"Single-cell perturbation data at scale will enable researchers to build more precise models"

Data that records how individual cells respond after a deliberate change—such as a drug, a gene edit, or an environmental shift—measured with single-cell technologies that read gene activity, proteins, or other molecular signals. It matters to investors because it reveals which cell types react, how variable the responses are, and which biological effects are most likely to translate into effective or safer therapies, acting like testing how each worker in a factory reacts when a process is changed.

clinical trial design medical

"identify which patient subgroups are most likely to respond and inform clinical trial design"

Clinical trial design is the plan for how a medical study is run—who can join, how treatments are given or compared, what is measured and when. Investors care because the design shapes how reliable and fast the results will be; like a building blueprint, a strong design reduces the chance of surprises, clarifies whether a treatment really works or is safe, and therefore affects approval odds, timelines and company value.

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Partners will use unprecedented data scale to advance more precise medicines to approval

SAN DIEGO, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) today announced that the Billion Cell Atlas alliance has added three new member companies, including AI-native drug developer Formation Bio. As leaders in AI-driven drug discovery, design, and development, alliance members will use the unprecedented scale of Illumina's genome-wide perturbation data as infrastructure for the next generation of therapeutics.

"We are building the cell atlas to address key bottlenecks across the drug discovery and development continuum," said Rami Mehio, senior vice president and general manager of BioInsight at Illumina. "We are creating the foundational framework to train virtual cell models and solve some of the most fundamental challenges in biology. Together, partners using this unique dataset can have a significant impact in de-risking and accelerating the journey from biological insights to approved drugs."

Introduced in January 2026 with founding participants AstraZeneca, Merck, and Eli Lilly and Company, the Atlas enables users to discover and validate novel targets, characterize drug and disease mechanisms of action, and explore potential new indications. Over 350 million cells have been sequenced to date, generating upwards of six petabytes of genomic data. The scale and diversity of the Atlas across hundreds of disease-relevant and healthy cell types can reveal how diseases originate and develop, as well as how we may be able to reverse their progression.

"Formation Bio's model is to identify and acquire promising medicines already close to or in the clinic, then use AI and technology to develop them faster and more efficiently. A core part of that model is making better asset-selection and indication decisions, especially for first-in-class programs where the evidence is often fragmented," said Benjamine Liu, CEO and co-founder of Formation Bio. "We are excited to leverage the Illumina Billion Cell Atlas to credential therapeutic-area hypotheses and target-indication pairs against a new layer of cell-specific causal biology. Combined with genetics, human biology, translational evidence, and clinical data, these insights can help us choose the right assets, indications, patients, and trial designs—and ultimately increase the probability that important new medicines reach patients." 

Transforming drug discovery and development requires biological understanding at scale

For Formation Bio, the Atlas can provide insight into why a drug might work or fail in a specific patient population. Single-cell perturbation data at scale will enable researchers to build more precise models of how candidate drugs interact with disease biology, improving their ability to identify which patient subgroups are most likely to respond and inform clinical trial design. The Atlas will also strengthen one of the most consequential decisions in drug development: choosing which assets to advance and in which indications.

This is particularly important for first-in-class medicines, where the target biology may be compelling but clinical precedent is limited. By integrating cell-state-specific perturbation data with genetic, human, translational, and clinical evidence, Formation Bio can more rigorously credential target-indication pairs, identify the disease contexts and patient populations most likely to respond, and prioritize programs with the strongest probability of clinical success.

"The next frontier of AI in biology hinges on the creation of foundational training datasets," said Kyle Farh, vice president of Artificial Intelligence at Illumina. "Up until now, most single cell data has been observational. We aim to change that, and in the process, reimagine what is possible in biology." 

About the Illumina Billion Cell Atlas

The Illumina Billion Cell Atlas — the world's largest genome-wide genetic perturbation dataset — is capturing how one billion individual cells respond to genetic changes via CRISPR across more than 200 disease-relevant cell lines. The program launched in January 2026, and members include AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, Formation Bio, Merck, and two additional AI-driven drug discovery partners. It will be the most comprehensive map of human disease biology upon completion. To learn more about the Illumina Billion Cell Atlas and other multiomics initiatives, visit this link.

About Illumina  

Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. Our focus on innovation has established us as a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit illumina.com and connect with us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.  

Contacts

Investors:
Illumina Investor Relations
858-291-6421
IR@illumina.com

Media:
Christine Douglass
PR@illumina.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/illumina-expands-billion-cell-atlas-program-with-new-ai-drug-developers-302827780.html

SOURCE Illumina, Inc.

FAQ

What is Illumina's Billion Cell Atlas alliance and how does it relate to ILMN?

Illumina's Billion Cell Atlas alliance is a collaborative platform built on large-scale genome-wide perturbation data. According to Illumina, it enables members to discover targets, study disease mechanisms, and inform drug development decisions using over 350 million sequenced cells and extensive genomic data.

How is Illumina (ILMN) expanding the Billion Cell Atlas program in July 2026?

Illumina is expanding the Billion Cell Atlas by adding three new member companies, including Formation Bio. According to Illumina, these partners will use the Atlas’s large single-cell perturbation dataset to support AI-driven drug discovery, validate targets, and refine indication and patient selection strategies.

What role will Formation Bio play in Illumina's Billion Cell Atlas collaboration with ILMN?

Formation Bio will use the Billion Cell Atlas to evaluate therapeutic hypotheses and target–indication pairs. According to Illumina, integrating cell-specific perturbation data with genetics and clinical evidence can help Formation Bio choose assets, indications, patients, and trial designs more rigorously for its AI-driven development model.

How much data has Illumina's Billion Cell Atlas generated for AI drug discovery?

Illumina reports that the Billion Cell Atlas has sequenced over 350 million cells, generating around six petabytes of genomic data. According to Illumina, this scale and diversity across hundreds of cell types supports training virtual cell models and exploring disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions.

How could Illumina's Billion Cell Atlas benefit AI drug development companies like Formation Bio?

The Billion Cell Atlas provides single-cell perturbation data to model how drugs affect disease biology across patient subgroups. According to Illumina, this can inform asset selection, indication choice, and trial design, particularly for first-in-class programs where conventional clinical precedent is limited or fragmented.

Why does Illumina (ILMN) say foundational training datasets are important for AI in biology?

Illumina states that the next frontier of AI in biology depends on foundational training datasets, not just observational data. According to Illumina, large-scale perturbation datasets like the Billion Cell Atlas can enable more powerful virtual cell models and broaden what is possible in biological research and drug development.