Plasmidsaurus launched a shallow‑depth RNA‑seq transcriptome service priced at $50 per academic sample with a turnaround under three days, offering 10 million deduplicated 3' end reads for gene expression and differential analyses. The company has processed hundreds of samples daily and is scaling orders, but the offering prompted concern from academic core facilities about pricing pressure and sustainability. Plasmidsaurus CEO Mark Budde said the service aims to replace routine targeted assays like qPCR by lowering cost and time barriers for researchers.