Takara Bio USA and Hamilton Company Partner to Automate NGS Library Preparation

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8:00 AM on Monday, March 30

The Associated Press

SAN JOSE, Calif. & RENO, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 30, 2026--

Takara Bio USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc., and Hamilton Company announced a development and co-marketing agreement to deliver integrated, automated next-generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation workflows to laboratories worldwide.

The companies are collaborating to develop verified automation methods and workflows for Takara Bio USA’s SMART-Seq® library preparation kits on Hamilton’s Microlab® STAR™ Liquid Handling Systems. The first automated technology will be the SMART-Seq mRNA LP kit, which streamlines the creation of full-length mRNA-seq libraries. Additional products in the SMART-Seq portfolio slated for automation script development include the SMART-Seq Total RNA Library Prep with ZapR® Depletion (with UMIs) kit.

This partnership will provide researchers with increased access to best-in-class Takara Bio RNA-seq library prep at high-capacity on Hamilton’s scalable automation platforms, including solutions designed for end-to-end assay-ready workflows. By combining advanced chemistry with liquid handling automation, laboratories can reduce hands-on time and errors while increasing throughput and savings on labor costs. Researchers can expect consistent and reproducible library preparation on a standardized, high-throughput platform, leading to higher-quality data for downstream sequencing and transcriptomic analyses.

“The automation of Takara Bio library prep kits allows laboratories, including core facilities, to use our trusted technology as a routine, high-throughput research tool or service,” said Carol Lou, President & CEO at Takara Bio USA. “We are thrilled to partner with Hamilton to enable large-scale full-length transcriptome analysis, launching our gold-standard SMART-Seq library prep workflows into an era of high consistency and efficiency provided by the Microlab STAR systems.”

“At Hamilton, our focus is enabling fully integrated, scalable workflows that bring consistency and efficiency to complex biological processes,” said Michael Mouradian, Vice President of Scientific Strategy and Market Development at Hamilton Company. “By partnering with Takara Bio, we are combining best-in-class library preparation chemistry with advanced liquid handling automation to help laboratories standardize RNA-seq workflows and accelerate the generation of high-quality data at scale.”

Takara Bio USA is proud to be a sponsor of the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF) Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA, on March 28–31, 2026. Core facilities professionals can sign up to meet with Takara Bio representatives at takarabio.com/abrf.

About Takara Bio

Takara Bio USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc. that manufactures and distributes kits, reagents, and instruments for the life sciences, including NGS, spatial, PCR, gene delivery, genome editing, stem cell research, nucleic acid and protein purification, and automated sample preparation.

Takara Bio Inc., a world leader in biotechnology research and development, offers a host of life science research solutions, from enzymes and GMP-grade reagents to contracted cell and gene therapy manufacturing services and is the developer of the RetroNectin® reagent, a world standard in gene therapy protocols. Takara Bio is committed to preventing disease and improving the quality of life for all people through the use of biotechnology.

AboutHamilton

For more than 75 years, Hamilton Company has been a global life sciences leader in the design and manufacturing of precision measurement devices, automated liquid handling platforms, and sample management solutions. Headquartered in Reno, Nevada, with key manufacturing and R&D affiliates in Bonaduz, Switzerland, Franklin, Massachusetts, and Timisoara, Romania, Hamilton serves the scientific community through a robust network of sales and support offices worldwide.

Hamilton's expertise spans across liquid handling, process analytics, robotics, and automated storage, providing the foundational tools necessary for groundbreaking scientific research and clinical discovery. By combining the best-quality materials with skilled workmanship and a lifelong commitment to ISO 9001-certified precision, Hamilton ensures the highest level of performance and reliability. Hamilton remains dedicated to driving innovation and satisfying the evolving needs of laboratories across the globe, maintaining a steadfast focus on quality and customer success.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260330893926/en/

CONTACT: Takara Bio

Liz Quinn, PhD

[email protected]

(650) 919-7400

Hamilton

Mahshid Farzan

[email protected]

(775) 451-0964

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA NEVADA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HEALTH HEALTH TECHNOLOGY GENETICS RESEARCH SCIENCE PHARMACEUTICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

SOURCE: Takara Bio USA, Inc.