Seer Proteograph™ Enables Unprecedented Genetic Marker Mapping for Proteogenomics Studies to Advance Drug and Biomarker Discovery
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Insights
The study from Weill Cornell Medicine utilizing Seer Inc.'s Proteograph workflow represents a significant advancement in the field of proteomics, particularly in the context of precision medicine. The ability to link genetic variation to protein abundance with peptide level resolution could pave the way for more targeted drug discovery and biomarker development. This has the potential to revolutionize the approach to treating complex diseases by enabling the development of therapies tailored to individual genetic profiles.
From a biotechnological perspective, the identification of 184 protein-altering variants in 137 genes, with most aligned with known genetic markers, underscores the accuracy and potential of this technology to pinpoint relevant biomarkers. The implications for Seer Inc. are substantial, as this could lead to increased interest and investment in their Proteograph Product Suite, positioning the company as a leader in proteogenomic analysis. However, it's important to consider the adoption curve for new technologies in clinical settings, which can be protracted due to regulatory and validation processes.
The publication of this study in a prestigious journal like Nature Communications is likely to have a positive effect on Seer Inc.'s market perception, potentially influencing its stock value. The Proteograph workflow's ability to overcome limitations of traditional affinity-based methods may attract partnerships and collaborations with pharmaceutical companies, which could lead to an increase in revenue streams for Seer. Furthermore, the launch of the Proteograph XT Assay Kit, which promises to more than double throughput, suggests scalability that could lead to cost efficiencies and broader market adoption.
Investors should be aware of the competitive landscape and the rate at which Seer can convert these technological advancements into marketable products. While the long-term outlook appears promising, the short-term financial impact will depend on the company's ability to capitalize on this research and the speed at which it can bring new products to market.
The identification of the incretin pro-peptide (GIP) linked to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which was overlooked by traditional methods, highlights the clinical relevance of Seer's Proteograph workflow. This could lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and a better understanding of disease mechanisms. The ability to detect and quantify low-abundance proteins in plasma samples is particularly noteworthy, as it addresses a significant challenge in disease biomarker discovery.
The study's findings could have implications for patient stratification in clinical trials, potentially leading to more efficient and effective clinical trial designs. However, it is critical to note that while the technology shows promise, further validation in clinical settings is required before it can be fully integrated into routine clinical practice.
Study led by Weill Cornell Medicine demonstrates identification of protein altering variants for population-scale protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) studies
Proteograph Product Suite enables scalable deep, unbiased proteomics by mass spectrometry and overcomes the limitations of affinity-based methods
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seer, Inc. (NASDAQ: SEER), a leading life sciences company commercializing a disruptive new platform for proteomics, today announced a publication in Nature Communications from a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine showing Seer’s Proteograph workflow to potentially unveil novel proteogenomic insights into genetics-based drug and biomarker discovery for precision medicines. Designed to address the challenges with affinity-based proteomic approaches for protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) studies, the scalable, high-resolution Proteograph workflow enables scientists to link genetic variation with protein abundance with peptide level resolution.
The manuscript, “Nanoparticle enrichment mass-spectrometry proteomics identifies protein-altering variants for precise pQTL mapping,” was published in Nature Communications from the laboratory of Karsten Suhre, Ph.D., Professor of Biophysics and Physiology, Director of Bioinformatics & Virtual Metabolomics Core at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar and lead author of the article, along with Seer scientists.
In the paper, the researchers used Seer’s first-generation Proteograph Assay workflow upstream of mass spectrometry to quantify over 18,000 peptides from approximately 3,000 proteins in more than 320 blood samples to detect and quantify blood-circulating proteins in the presence of protein-altering variants (PAVs). The study found 184 PAVs in 137 genes, confirmed by their variant peptides in mass spectrometry data, known as MS-PAV. Most MS-PAVs were aligned with known genetic markers (cis-pQTLs), validating the target specificity of the method. Some MS-PAVs overlapped with trans-pQTLs, shedding light on potential causal proteins. Lastly, the study revealed proteins overlooked by traditional methods, like the incretin pro-peptide (GIP) linked to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
“Dr. Suhre’s study demonstrates the power of Seer’s approach in deconvoluting complex associations between genetic variants and proteins,” said Omid Farokhzad, M.D., Chair & Chief Executive Officer of Seer. “Further collaborative efforts between proteomics and genomics researchers are important to advance the field of multi-omics and critical for unearthing new therapeutic approaches for a wide range of diseases, including cardio and metabolic disorders.”
Seer’s recently launched Proteograph XT Assay Kit for the Proteograph Product Suite, enables unbiased proteomics research at unprecedented speed by more than doubling throughput while maintaining high-resolution insights. Together with next generation mass spectrometers, Proteograph XT offers scientists the capability to detect over 60,000 peptides and over 8,000 proteins in a human plasma study. Further, Seer’s proprietary engineered nanoparticles deliver reliable performance, providing peptide level information that is key to identifying protein variants for proteogenomic studies. Seer's approach provides customers with unparalleled insights into drug response analysis, drug discovery, patient stratifications for clinical studies, and precision medicine.
“There are inherent challenges with analyzing the proteome, particularly in plasma samples, where the high dynamic range makes it difficult to detect less abundant proteins that may be critical to disease biology. The peptide level resolution of the Proteograph platform allowed us to account for potentially confounding epitope effects, traditionally not possible with affinity-based approaches,” commented Serafim Batzoglou, Ph.D., Chief Data Officer of Seer and author on the article. “At Seer, we offer researchers a new method for pQTL mapping and a deeper understanding of proteins and peptides for large-scale proteogenomic studies.”
About Seer
Seer is a life sciences company developing transformative products that open a new gateway to the proteome. Seer’s Proteograph Product Suite is an integrated solution that includes proprietary engineered nanoparticles, consumables, automation instrumentation and software to perform deep, unbiased proteomic analysis at scale in a matter of hours. Seer designed the Proteograph workflow to be efficient and easy to use, leveraging widely adopted laboratory instrumentation to provide a decentralized solution that can be incorporated by nearly any lab. Seer’s Proteograph Product Suite is for research use only and is not intended for diagnostic procedures. For more information, please visit www.seer.bio.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on Seer’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to it on the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Seer’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements include but are not limited to statements regarding the potential of Seer’s Proteograph to unveil novel proteogenomic insights into genetics-based drug and biomarker discovery for precision medicines, the Proteograph’s ability to enable unbiased proteomics research at unprecedented speed by more than doubling throughput while maintaining high-resolution insights, and the Proteograph’s ability to provide customers with unparalleled insights into drug response analysis, drug discovery, patient stratifications for clinical studies, and precision medicine. These and other risks are described more fully in Seer’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and other documents that Seer subsequently files with the SEC from time to time. Except to the extent required by law, Seer undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
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