Takara Bio USA, SPT Labtech Team Up to Automate NGS Library Prep Workflows
The partners are targeting NGS core labs with a combined offering that automates next-generation sequencing library prep workflows using kits from Takara Bio and SPT Labtech’s firefly instrument. They are starting with RNA-seq with plans to expand. The post Takara Bio USA, SPT Labtech Team Up to Automate NGS Library Prep Workflows appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News…
Takara Bio USA and SPT Labtech have joined forces to provide automated library preparation workflows that combine Takara Bio's next-generation sequencing (NGS) chemistry with SPT Labtech's firefly liquid handling platform. The agreement allows the companies to first optimize specific SMART-seq RNA-seq library prep workflows on SPT Labtech's firefly platform, with plans to eventually expand the offerings to RNA-seq, DNA-seq, and immune profiling kits.
The target audience for this combined solution includes NGS core labs and customers who prepare NGS libraries from a large volume of samples and require the ability to scale their current capabilities. With the new offering, customers will have access to automation scripts that enable easy deployment of workflows, resulting in high-quality, reproducible sequencing data that can be seamlessly integrated into existing lab processes.
The partners also highlight that SPT Labtech's firefly platform requires minimal space, making it an ideal choice for labs with limited staffing, resources, or costs. Both partners are scheduled to discuss the collaboration during the upcoming annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics. For Takara Bio, this partnership aligns with the company's strategy to incorporate automation as an essential component of its NGS product launch strategy.
The company is set to launch its SMART-Seq mRNA long read extended kit in January 2027, this being the first product to be marketed with an optimized workflow for the firefly instrument. Combining these products is expected to help labs standardize long-read transcriptomics at scale, providing benefits such as greater flexibility in sample input, improved recovery of full-length transcripts, and enhanced quantification confidence.
Automation scripts for the existing SMART-Seq mRNA LP and SMART-Seq Total RNA Library Prep with ZapR Depletion kits are currently available for download on the SPT cloud portal. Takara Bio USA President and CEO Andrew Farmer emphasized the company's commitment to making its NGS chemistries more accessible and scalable, stating that automation will be a foundational element of how Takara Bio brings NGS products to market.
SPT Labtech Head of Genomics Paul Lomax highlighted the joint effort's goal to enable more laboratories to reap the advantages of automated library preparation without the need for extensive infrastructure typically associated with larger automation platforms.
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