Cambridge, UK, and Lausanne, Switzerland, 05 November 2025: SPT Labtech, a global leader in the design and development of laboratory automation and liquid handling solutions, and Alithea Genomics, a pioneer in the field of large-scale RNA sequencing and transcriptomics, today announced a collaboration to provide an automated solution for single-cell transcriptomics.
The collaboration integrates Alithea Genomics’ ultra-sensitive single-cell RNA-seq technology, MERCURIUS™ FLASH-seq, with SPT Labtech’s firefly® liquid handling platform, creating a scalable and reproducible workflow for transcriptomics research. The automated workflow is immediately available to customers worldwide through SPT Labtech and Alithea Genomics’ application support teams.
Single-cell transcriptomics is a rapidly expanding field driving advances in cell biology, immunology, and drug discovery. However, many workflows remain limited by manual library preparation steps, which can introduce variability and constrain throughput. This collaboration directly addresses that bottleneck by combining firefly’s low-volume precision dispensing with Alithea Genomics’ scalable RNA-sequencing chemistry, improving reproducibility, throughput, and accessibility for single-cell studies. As demand for higher-throughput, cost-efficient single-cell sequencing grows, the ability to automate sensitive RNA-seq protocols is becoming essential for both academic and research environments.
Alithea Genomics has gained recognition for transforming RNA sequencing with its scalable and cost-effective solutions. MERCURIUS FLASH-seq, a novel single-cell RNA-seq protocol, offers gene detection sensitivity on ultra-low input samples and single-cells.
Riccardo Dainese, CEO and co-founder of Alithea Genomics, said: “Our mission has always been to make high-throughput and high-quality RNA-seq accessible and scalable for any lab. By combining MERCURIUS FLASH-seq and MERCURIUS Total DRUG-seq with SPT Labtech’s firefly, we’re removing key bottlenecks in library preparation workflows. This partnership simplifies complex processes, drives down costs, and empowers researchers to focus on discovery.”
Morten Frost, Chief Commercial Officer at SPT Labtech, commented: “This collaboration represents a step toward broader automation of complex RNA workflows, supporting the growing integration of transcriptomics into translational and clinical research. Implementing this workflow on firefly, laboratories can achieve a new level of efficiency, reproducibility, and throughput. The modular architecture of firefly supports both discovery-scale and large-scale experimental designs, enabling consistent results across varied throughput needs.”
To support researchers to implement these solutions, Alithea Genomics and SPT Labtech are releasing detailed application notes outlining optimized workflows for the MERCURIUS FLASH-seq and MERCURIUS Total DRUG-seq on firefly.
For more information and to hear directly from experts at Alithea Genomics and SPT Labtech, see details of the upcoming webinar on 10 November, 16:00 GMT: Automating RNA-seq library prep: From rare cells scRNA-seq to high-throughput bulk RNA-seq
About SPT Labtech
SPT Labtech’s solutions are built to accelerate progress in genomics where demand for high-throughput and cost-effective workflows is ever-increasing. The company specializes in developing compact, user-friendly liquid handling platforms that specifically address the challenges of genomics applications, particularly in next-generation sequencing (NGS). Their flagship firefly platform simplifies complex workflows like NGS library preparation by integrating multiple functions—such as pipetting, dispensing, and incubating—into a single benchtop unit. Through strategic collaborations with key industry partners, SPT Labtech ensures its technologies are validated and optimized for a wide range of genomic chemistries, further cementing its position as a vital player in empowering genomics labs to achieve greater efficiency, reproducibility, and innovation.
About Alithea Genomics
Alithea Genomics is committed to developing solutions that simplify and streamline the generation of “big RNA data”, which we believe will constitute the foundation of tomorrow’s research and medicine. Our BRB-seq technologies and kits enable researchers to discover novel biomarkers and essential data needed to develop new drugs at a fraction of the traditional cost and time. Alithea Genomics was founded in May 2020 at the EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland.