NanoString’s CosMx SMI Achieves Whole Transcriptome Imaging at Single-Cell Resolution
- NanoString Technologies achieved a scientific breakthrough by providing true single-cell whole transcriptome imaging
- The CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel offers almost 40x the coverage of assays currently marketed by competing platforms
- The upcoming launch of the CosMx Human 6K Discovery Panel will empower researchers to delve deeper into cell states and function, explore intricate cell-to-cell interactions, and deliver new insights into spatial cellular responses
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Insights
The release of the first public dataset for the CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel by NanoString Technologies signifies a significant advancement in the field of spatial genomics, particularly impacting the granularity of single-cell analysis. This innovation is poised to disrupt the status quo of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), offering 40x the coverage of existing assays. The ability to visualize the expression of nearly 19,000 genes within individual cells in situ is a substantial leap forward, which will likely catalyze new research opportunities in disease pathology, including cancer and diabetes.
From an investment standpoint, the commercialization potential for the CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel in 2025 could lead to a competitive edge for NanoString in the life sciences market. The lower cost per single cell and higher cellular throughput could also drive adoption and increase market share. However, it's crucial to monitor how this technology performs against existing methods and whether the scientific community widely accepts it post-launch. The prototype's performance and the improvements expected in the commercial version should be tracked closely as indicators of future financial performance.
The CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel's ability to provide insights from FFPE tissue samples has the potential to revolutionize clinical research and translational medicine. FFPE samples are widely used in clinical settings and this technology could unlock a wealth of previously inaccessible biological information. This could accelerate the discovery of biomarkers, enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms and lead to the development of novel therapeutics, particularly in the context of complex diseases like cancer and diabetes.
For stakeholders, including biopharmaceutical companies and academic research institutions, the implications are profound. The ability to identify rare cell types and understand cellular interactions in their spatial context could lead to more targeted and effective therapies. The anticipation of this technology's impact is evident from the planned presentations at the AGBT meeting, which will likely generate buzz and potentially increase NanoString's visibility and credibility within the scientific community.
The anticipated launch of the CosMx 6,000-plex assay in Q1 2024 represents another strategic move by NanoString to expand its product offerings in the high-plex market. This assay promises to provide 6x higher plex than current panels, which could further distinguish NanoString from its competitors. As the company prepares for this launch, it will be essential to evaluate market demand and the readiness of research infrastructures to integrate such high-throughput technologies.
Market adoption rates post-launch will be a critical metric to assess. The presentations of datasets on various cancers at the AGBT meeting could serve as a preliminary indicator of the scientific community's reception to these technologies. Furthermore, the long-term success of these products will depend on their ability to deliver consistent, reliable results and the company's capacity to provide robust support and education to its users.
Major milestone marked by first public dataset released for CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel with additional data forthcoming at the AGBT Meeting
CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel Achieves Scientific Moonshot
NanoString is the first company to achieve the scientific breakthrough of providing true single-cell whole transcriptome imaging. This technological milestone was accomplished using the CosMx SMI platform allowing researchers to simultaneously visualize the expression of every protein-coding gene in the human genome in situ, providing the ultimate capability for single cell spatial biology.
The CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel transforms the potential to extract biological insights from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. By imaging the expression of almost 19,000 genes at once, this product will provide almost 40x the coverage of assays currently marketed by competing platforms. Researchers can now explore millions of cells per experiment, identify rare cell types, and understand cell-to-cell interactions in spatial context, providing a comprehensive understanding of cellular landscapes that has never before been accessible. These capabilities will be available at lower cost per single cell while providing higher cellular throughput than traditional single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). NanoString plans to commercially launch the CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel in 2025.
NanoString is marking this milestone achievement with the public release of a whole transcriptome CosMx SMI dataset generated from FFPE samples of healthy human pancreas tissue. This first-of-its-kind dataset demonstrates the functional biology of the pancreas revealing rare cell types that are typically lost with traditional scRNA-seq methods. This dataset was generated using a prototype version of the panel and related software, and the performance of the new capability is expected to improve in the full commercial version, becoming even more impressive over time.
“Using the CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel, our group can now address fundamental questions regarding the interactions between anatomy and function within pancreatic islets that are simply not possible with lower plex (< 1000-plex) imaging technologies,” said Grant R. Kolar, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Research Microscopy and Histology Core at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. “We anticipate that this transformative technology will have profound impact on the way we view normal islet physiology, as well as yield important, novel insights into the pathophysiology of diabetes, enabling the development of better treatments, and perhaps even a cure.”
Anticipating intense interest from the scientific community, NanoString will feature the Whole Transcriptome capabilities of CosMx SMI during presentations at the upcoming AGBT meeting in
Upcoming launch of CosMx 6,000-plex assay
NanoString also remains on track to begin commercial shipment of the CosMx Human 6K Discovery Panel beginning in Q1 2024. This innovative panel, offering 6x higher plex than current CosMx SMI panels, will empower researchers to delve deeper into cell states and function, explore intricate cell-to-cell interactions, and deliver new insights into spatial cellular responses at an unprecedented level.
About NanoString
NanoString Technologies, a leader in spatial biology, offers an ecosystem of innovative discovery and translational research solutions, empowering our customers to map the universe of biology. The GeoMx® Digital Spatial Profiler is a flexible and consistent solution combining the power of whole tissue imaging with gene expression and protein data for spatial whole transcriptomics and proteomics. The CosMx™ Spatial Molecular Imager is a single-cell imaging platform powered by spatial multiomics enabling researchers to map single cells in their native environments to extract deep biological insights and novel discoveries from one experiment. The AtoMx™ Spatial Informatics Platform is a cloud-based informatics solution with advanced analytics and global collaboration capabilities, enabling powerful spatial biology insights anytime, anywhere. At the foundation of our research tools is our nCounter® Analysis System, which offers a secure way to easily profile the expression of hundreds of genes, proteins, miRNAs, or copy number variations, simultaneously with high sensitivity and precision.
For more information, please visit www.nanostring.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding our plans to commercially launch and ship new product offerings in the future and expectations about demand for our products. Such statements are based on current assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include market acceptance of our products; adverse conditions in the general domestic and global economic markets; the effects of ongoing litigation; the impact of competition; the impact of expanded sales, marketing, and product development on operating expenses; delays or other unforeseen problems with respect to manufacturing and product development; as well as the other risks set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. NanoString Technologies disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
NanoString, NanoString Technologies, the NanoString logo, GeoMx, AtoMx and nCounter are trademarks or registered trademarks of NanoString Technologies, Inc. in various jurisdictions.
This news release may include information regarding CosMx™ SMI products for RNA detection, which products are not available in the member states of the European Unified Patent Court, as further described here.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240107061043/en/
Doug Farrell
Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Dfarrell@nanostring.com
Phone: 206-602-1768
Source: NanoString Technologies, Inc.
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