The extraction-free library preparation technology is designed to deliver full transcriptome coverage for drug screening and toxicology studies.
Alithea Genomics has launched Mercurius Spheroid DRUG-seq, an RNA sequencing library preparation kit designed for direct processing of 3D spheroid models without conventional RNA extraction steps.
The technology extends the company’s existing Mercurius DRUG-seq platform to physiologically relevant 3D cellular systems, enabling researchers to bypass RNA extraction and pre-amplification by processing spheroids directly in an optimized lysis buffer.
The streamlined workflow can be completed in one day and delivers full transcriptome coverage in a multiplexed format, according to the company. In testing, the system detected more than 14,000 genes per sample at approximately 1.7 million reads and is compatible with Illumina and AVITI sequencers.
“Mercurius Spheroid DRUG-seq follows our strong belief that 3D biology deserves transcriptomic profiling at scale. We can now bring full transcriptome insights into spheroid models without sacrificing throughput or simplicity,” says Riccardo Dainese, CEO and co-founder of Alithea Genomics, in a release.
Addressing 3D Model Challenges
Organoid and spheroid culture systems replicate key structural and functional features of in vivo tissues, making them valuable models for drug discovery and toxicology research. However, conventional RNA-seq workflows often encounter difficulties with the complexity of 3D matrices, limited sample input, and RNA extraction challenges.
The new kit targets these bottlenecks by providing a high-throughput RNA-seq solution specifically tailored for spheroids and organoids. The technology is intended for large-scale mechanistic and toxicity studies in 3D models.
“We believe this tool will unlock new layers of transcriptomic discovery in drug screening and toxicology, enabling researchers to explore disease biology in architectures far closer to human tissue,” says Dainese in a release.
The company is accepting orders for both kits and services. Researchers can see live demonstrations of the Spheroid DRUG-seq workflow at the American Society of Human Genetics meeting in Boston and the European Laboratory Research and Innovation Group conference in Liverpool.
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