SPT Labtech enables automated PacBio Kinnex full-length RNA-seq library preparation workflow on SPT’s firefly platform

Cambridge, UK, 20 November 2025: SPT Labtech, a global leader in the design and development of laboratory automation and liquid handling solutions, today announced a collaboration with Pacific Biosciences (PacBio), a pioneer in long-read sequencing, to automate PacBio's Kinnex™ full-length RNA-seq library preparation on SPT Labtech’s firefly^® liquid handling platform. The automated workflow will improve reproducibility and scalability in large-scale transcriptomics studies by reducing manual steps in library preparation.

Manual preparation of RNA-seq libraries can be time-consuming, and risks introducing variability that can affect data quality. By integrating the Kinnex full-length RNA kit with the firefly platform, researchers are now able to process samples more efficiently while maintaining the accuracy and integrity required for large-scale and clinical studies.

The automated walk-away workflow and processing enables:

•    Reduced hands-on time – manual pipetting decreased by up to 80%, allowing researchers to focus on data analysis and experimental design.
•    Improved consistency – user-to-user and day-to-day variation is minimized.
•    Scalability – generation of high-quality, full-length transcript data is enabled at higher throughput, to support large-scale genomics initiatives.

At Seattle Children’s Genomics and Spatial Biology CoLab, researchers are already using the automated firefly-Kinnex workflow to support high-throughput isoform discovery. The workflow supports the same Kinnex chemistry used in the 1000 Genomes Long Read Sequencing Project1, which is advancing large-scale studies of transcriptome diversity across human populations.

Morten Frost, Chief Commercial Officer at SPT Labtech, commented: “Our collaboration with PacBio is all about empowering the researcher. The firefly platform is built for reliable, flexible automation. By seamlessly integrating industry-leading chemistry, we are offering a validated solution that doesn't just automate a step - it guarantees the quality and scalability required to push the boundaries of transcriptomic science.”

David Miller, VP of Marketing at PacBio, added: "Long-read RNA sequencing provides the most complete view of the transcriptome, and more customers are looking to apply Kinnex on population-scale projects. The firefly automation brings consistency to library processing, making it dramatically easier and more efficient for labs to adopt full-length RNA workflows, ultimately speeding up the pace of discovery.”

1.    The 1000 Genomes Long Read Sequencing Project – Automated on firefly^®

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