Takara Bio and SPT Labtech Automate NGS Library Prep
The partnership integrates sequencing chemistries with liquid handling robots to standardize lab throughput.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Biotech
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Takara Bio USA and SPT Labtech have entered a partnership to automate NGS library preparation workflows by integrating chemistries with the firefly liquid handling platform. Automation scripts for several SMART-Seq kits are already available on the SPT cloud portal, while a new Long Read Extended kit is announced for January 2027.
Why it matters
This integration aims to improve throughput and reproducibility in NGS core laboratories by standardizing sample preparation protocols. By moving manual library construction to an automated liquid handling system, laboratories can potentially increase operational efficiency.
The firefly instrument features a compact footprint and utilizes an integrated programming environment to execute verified automation scripts. These scripts enable the platform to handle library preparation protocols previously restricted to manual benchwork.
The players
Takara Bio USA
A biotechnology firm based in San Jose that produces reagents and kits for NGS library preparation.
SPT Labtech
A developer of laboratory automation instruments, including the firefly platform, used for high-throughput screening and genomics.
University of Cambridge
A research institution that collaborated on the validation of automated workflows for RNA library preparation.
The details
The partnership uses the firefly liquid handling platform — a benchtop robotic system for liquid transfer — to automate NGS library prep. Takara Bio and SPT Labtech jointly develop and verify scripts that users download from the firefly peer-to-peer cloud network. The University of Cambridge contributed to the verification of the SMART-Seq Total RNA Library Prep with ZapR Depletion, a process that removes ribosomal RNA to focus sequencing on informative transcripts.
Timeline
October 2026: Companies present their collaboration at the ASHG Annual Meeting.
January 2027: The SMART-Seq mRNA Long Read Extended kit is scheduled to ship.
The Tech Race
The collaboration follows the broader industry trend of shifting NGS core laboratory workflows toward unified, vendor-verified automation platforms. It aims to compete with manual protocols by reducing human error and increasing throughput across standardized RNA and DNA sequencing tasks.
Laboratories currently using the firefly platform can download automation scripts for existing SMART-Seq library prep methods via the manufacturer's cloud portal. Future workflows will require the January 2027 release of the Long Read Extended kit to take advantage of the new sequencing capabilities.
The takeaway
This integration demonstrates a trend toward cloud-managed automation in genomics, where verified scripts replace bespoke laboratory protocols. Watch for the upcoming January 2027 product release and the subsequent expansion of the library preparation menu to include immune profiling kits.
What happens next
The SMART-Seq mRNA Long Read Extended kit is scheduled for release in January 2027, with plans to expand the available menu to include additional DNA-seq and immune profiling kits.
Further reading
For more developments in genomic research infrastructure, see our coverage of the Biotech sector.
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