Digital LightCycler® System

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Image of a laboratory technician using the touchscreen on the Digital LightCycler® System

Unleash the true power of digital PCR

The Roche Digital LightCycler® system is the digital PCR instrument of tomorrow. With a unique combination of 3 nanowell plate configurations, 6 advanced optical channels, and 5x concentrated DNA and RNA master mixes, it has the potential to help your lab make the leap from publishing research to producing clinically viable assays.

High sensitivity and unambiguous thresholding1-4

Backed by Roche’s legacy of IVD leadership with the original LightCycler® system, the Digital LightCycler® combines enhanced features and detection capabilities to deliver superior data visualization and high confidence in results—even with minimal target input.1-4

What sets it apart:

  • High-sensitivity 20,000 partition plate with 45 μl reaction volume
  • 5x concentrated master mixes (RNA, DNA) for high sample input and utilization
  • Clear cluster separation of positives and negatives with very little rain
Roche Digital LightCycler® System
Benefits at a glance

Benefits at a glance

Digital PCR with the Digital LightCycler® system’s high-resolution 100,000 plate offers laboratories:

  • The ability to more likely discriminate small differences between samples
  • Superior cluster tightness and clarity of results
  • Absolute quantification of results

The Digital LightCycler® system is designed to provide flexibility and efficiency, offering features that streamline workflows and adapt to a variety of laboratory needs:

  • Choose batch size increments of between 8 and 96 samples per run
  • Combine lanes for the results of a single sample to increase resolution
  • Simplify workflow with sample tracking and automated data analysis
  • Enable high multiplexing with a 6 optical channel analyzer (Demonstrated with both DNA and RNA reagents)
  • Address multiple challenges at once with three plates for different application needs (Universal, High Sensitivity, and High Resolution)
  • Analyzer run times vary for different batch sizes to save time on smaller batches
  • Support assay development with a flexible platform suited for evolving research needs
  • Option to design lab-developed tests (LDTs) with in-house assay customization capabilities

Bringing it all together, the Digital LightCycler® System integrates advanced reagents, smart digital connectivity, and robust hardware design to deliver reliable, reproducible results.

  • Chemistry of generic reagents:
    • 5x concentrated master mixes for greater potential sample volume input

    • DNA and RNA optimized for multiplexing

    • Filling dye control that validates partitioning

  • 6 optical channels
  • Nanowell plate types: solid phase partitioning instead of droplets increases reliability and replicability
  • Closed system minimizes the chance of amplicon contamination
  • Laboratory Information Digital LightCycler® system connectivity means a simple digital workflow and sample tracking
  • Algorithm for sophisticated rejection of non-PCR artifacts
  • Absolute quantification without the need for standard curves
  • Unambiguous thresholding with clear cluster separation of positives and negatives, and very little rain

The unique hexagonal-shaped nanowell partitions and the filling dye that validates partitioning give the Digital LightCycler® system the ability to handle a wide variety of extracted samples, such as FFPET, cfDNA, Whole Blood, and more.

Through these partitions, target sequences are efficiently concentrated within isolated microreactors. This concentration effect reduces template competition, enabling the detection of rare mutations and allowing for a higher tolerance to inhibitors present in a sample.

Illustration depicting the hexagonal-shaped nanowell partitions on the high sensitivity plate

Universal plate

  • 30μL, 28,000 partitions
  • Gene expression
  • Transplant rejection
Illustration depicting the hexagonal-shaped nanowell partitions on the high sensitivity plate

High sensitivity

  • 45μL, 20,000 partitions
  • Cell-free DNA
  • Oncology, rare mutation detection
Illustration depicting the hexagonal-shaped nanowell partitions on the high sensitivity plate

High resolution

  • 15μL, 100,000 partitions
  • Copy number variation
  • NIPT, Human genetic disease

Get the most out of your samples with the Digital LightCycler® system's 5x concentrated master mixes.1-4

  • Improved sample percentage in each reaction means confidence in results
  • 1 Step RNA (RT) with a hold time of just 15 minutes
  • Filling dye control that validates partitioning
  • Single tube
  • 50-75% less primer/probe usage

The Digital LightCycler® system guides users through a streamlined PCR workflow while enabling sample tracking via its integrated web application.

Icon of two sample test tubes and a pipette illustrating the first step in the sample workflow, creating samples.

1. First batches are created either manually or with orders from the Laboratory Information System (LIS). The system automatically sets up the layout and creates the samples.

con of an Eppendorf tube illustrating the second step in the sample workflow, mixing samples and master mix.

2. The newly extracted samples are then transferred to the PCR where a pipette is used to mix the samples and the master mix and the nanowell plate of choice is scanned into the web application for full sample tracking.

Illustration of a pipette and nanowell plate illustrating the third step in the sample workflow, loading nanowell plates.

3. The PCR mix is then transferred into the nanowell plate which is then loaded into the partitioning engine. This is done for each plate.

Illustration of a stack of nanowell plates illustrating the fourth step in the sample workflow, load plates into analyzer.

4. All the plates are then loaded into the Analyzer.

Icon of laptop with wifi symbol illustrating the fifth step in the sample workflow, the Poisson calculation is applied.

5. After the run is complete, positives and negatives are counted up and the Poisson calculation is applied.

Icon of a database illustrating the sixth step in the sample workflow, result validation.

6. Results are validated and then sent back to the LIS.

The Digital LightCycler® Service Software streamlines your lab’s operations by supporting automated workflows and data management. This eliminates the need for external tools to calculate, collate, analyze, and contextualize results—freeing up more time to focus on high-value tasks.

  • Remote accessible software
  • Automatic clustering
  • Full sample tracking
  • Laboratory Information System interface
  • Analysis types
    • Absolute Quantification
    • Indel
    • Copy Number Variation

The Digital LightCycler® System is built to support a diverse set of advanced research and clinical applications. Its exceptional sensitivity, precision, and ability to perform absolute quantification without a standard curve make it ideally suited for:

  • Oncology: Enables detection of known specific variants and supports monitoring of treatment efficacy and disease progression
  • Rare species and variant detection: Offers hypersensitive detection of low-abundance targets without a standard curve
  • Microsatellite instability (MSI) detection: Enables hypersensitive identification of changes (instability) in microsatellite regions
  • Pathogen load detection: Delivers absolute quantification of pathogen load without standard curves
  • Graft rejection monitoring: Measures graft-derived cfDNA for molecular tracking of transplant rejection risk
  • Environmental surveillance: Maintains high sensitivity and precision even in inhibitor-rich or complex samples, where nucleic acid content may be masked in traditional rtPCR analysis
  • Large pharmaceutical clinical trials: Supports large volume testing for specific biomarkers with greater accuracy than traditional rtPCR
  • Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT): Improves reliability over conventional antigen tests

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Overview

Ordering Information

Product specification Value  
Partitions 20,000, 28,000 or 100,000  
Samples

8-96 samples per run 

 

Concentration on MMx 5 x
Channels 6  
Total volume 15μL - 45μL  
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Do you have questions about our products or services? We’re here to help. Contact a Roche representative in your region.

References

  1. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. DH_02365.01_031B_Digital_LightCycler_Reagent_Feasibility_Report_v3, Document Number: 000000000000120000050194. Data on file.
  2. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. DH-02365.01-500E_Digital LightCycler® System Performance report. Data on file.
  3. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. DHF Digital_LightCycler_Reagent_Feasibility_Report. Data on file.
  4. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. DH-02365.01-008B_Digital_LightCycler_System_Feasibility_Report. Ltd. Data on file.
  5. QIAGEN. QIAcuity Digital PCR System. [Internet; cited 2025 Apr 01]. Available from: https://www.qiagen.com/us/products/instruments-and-automation/pcr-instruments/qiacuity-digital-pcr-system/ 
  6. BIO RAD. QX ONE Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) System. [Internet; cited 2025 Apr 01]. Available from: https://www.bio-rad.com/en-us/life-science/digital-pcr/qx-one-droplet-digital-pcr-ddpcr-system
  7. STILLA. The naica® system - Multiplex Crystal Digital PCR™.  [Internet; cited 2025 Apr 01]. Available from: https://www.stillatechnologies.com/6-color-dpcr/ 
  8. Thermo Fisher Scientific. QuantStudio™ 3D Digital PCR Instrument with Power Cord. [Internet; cited 2025 Apr 01]. Available from: https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/4489084 (last accessed on 08/20/2022)