Clear Labs

Clear Labs, Inc. is a privately held genomics testing company headquartered in San Carlos, California. It builds fully automated, end-to-end next-generation sequencing (NGS) systems that combine sample preparation, sequencing and bioinformatics software into a walkaway workflow, so laboratories can generate and interpret genomic data on site. Its platform is used for turnkey diagnostics and surveillance applications including detection and serotyping of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria, whole genome sequencing of bacterial and fungal isolates, SARS-CoV-2 genomic characterization and wastewater surveillance, Mycobacterium species identification and tuberculosis drug-resistance profiling, and, more recently, oncology research workflows. The platform can also verify food ingredients and GMO status.

Product lines are organized around the Clear Dx system, the Clear Safety food safety assays (Listeria, Salmonella), Clear Transparency food authenticity and microbiome testing, and Clear Dx Microbial Surveillance WGS and Microbial ID tNGS assay workflows. In February 2026 the company said it would rename its research-use-only infectious disease portfolio from Clear Dx to Clear Ix in order to separate it from a clinical oncology platform being introduced separately; Clear Dx branding is being used for the automated oncology NGS platform, which supports solid tumor targeted sequencing, liquid biopsy and fusion detection assays and integrates with third-party secondary and tertiary bioinformatics tools. Company materials note the products are labeled For Research Use Only and not for use in diagnostic procedures.

The platform incorporates sequencing chemistry obtained through distribution partnerships: long-read technology from Oxford Nanopore Technologies (2019) and Illumina short-read sequencing-by-synthesis (2022). Regulatory and certification milestones include AOAC certification for Clear Safety Salmonella (2018) and Listeria (2019), an FDA Emergency Use Authorization for the Clear Dx SARS-CoV-2 descriptive diagnostic (September 2020), and USDA National Poultry Improvement Plan approval for Salmonella detection (October 2021)."]}