On April 24, 2025 Akoya Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKYA), The Spatial Biology Company, reported the availability of a new assay designed to advance antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development in breast cancer (Press release, Akoya Biosciences, APR 24, 2025, View Source [SID1234652094]). The new assay will be featured alongside customer-generated real-world data from the PhenoCode Discovery IO60 panel—Akoya’s flagship ultrahigh-plex immuno-oncology solution—at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2025 Annual Meeting, taking place April 25–30 in Chicago, Illinois.
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
New ADC Assay: Advancing Breast Cancer Precision
The emergence of HER2- and TROP2-targeting ADCs—such as those used in the DESTINY, ASCENT, and TROPiCS trials—have transformed breast cancer treatment while introducing greater complexity in therapeutic decision-making. Akoya’s newly launched multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) panel is designed to address these challenges by enabling more precise patient selection within established breast cancer subtypes.
This ADC-focused panel includes HER2, TROP2, Ki-67, ER/PR, and a proprietary membrane-localization cocktail. It allows for simultaneous quantification of ADC target expression with precise subcellular localization, providing:
Normalized protein expression
Membrane/cytoplasmic expression ratios
Comparative analysis with standard-of-care IHC biomarkers
Now available through Akoya’s Advanced Biopharma Services (ABS), the ADC panel includes comprehensive support—from assay customization to tissue staining, high-resolution imaging, image analysis, and reporting. ABS is purpose-built to accelerate the path from translational discovery to IUO and IVD, with capabilities anchored in:
A CLIA-certified laboratory for clinical-grade assay development
Integrated imaging and analysis workflows for multiplexed biomarker quantification
A clinical trial site and global CRO network for end-to-end study support
The panel is optimized for:
Identifying HER2-low and TROP2-high patients in clinical trial cohorts
Resolving membrane versus cytoplasmic marker expression—critical for ADC efficacy
Delivering consistent, quantitative scoring of each ADC marker
"Multiplexing key targets in context with state-of-the-art membrane resolution is a catalyst for designing precise ADC combination strategies," said Pascal Bamford, Chief Clinical Officer at Akoya. "Our goal is to equip translational and clinical teams with assays that reflect the complexity of the tumor microenvironment while preserving clinical relevance."
Real-World Impact of IO60: Proven in the Field
Originally launched at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) 2024, the PhenoCode Discovery IO60 panel remains the fastest ultrahigh-plex spatial proteomics solution for immuno-oncology research. At AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2025, one of Akoya’s customers will present real-world data generated using IO60, showcasing its power in:
Deep immune phenotyping
Tumor microenvironment (TME) profiling
Translating biomarker discovery across oncology pipelines
"Seeing our partners generate impactful insights using IO60 is the strongest validation of our platform’s potential," said Brian McKelligon, Chief Executive Officer of Akoya. "This is how spatial biology becomes translational—by helping researchers get closer to patient-relevant outcomes."
Visit Akoya at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2025 – Booth #3045
Both innovations—the ADC-focused breast cancer panel and customer-generated data using IO60—will be featured at Booth #3045, where Akoya will highlight the full potential of spatial biology in translational research. Visit us to explore the PhenoCode panel portfolio, meet with our scientific team, and experience our latest innovations firsthand.
What to Look Forward To:
Live Atlas Demo with Enable Medicine – Translating spatial data into actionable insights: April 27 | 4:30–5:00 PM | Akoya Booth #3045
Spotlight Theatre Presentation: From Discovery to Translation: Scaling Spatial Biology for Oncology Breakthroughs: April 28 | 3:00–4:00 PM | Spotlight Theater A – South Hall A
CDx Strategy Discussion with Clinical Experts: April 28 | 4:15–5:00 PM | Akoya Booth #3045
Early access opportunities to Akoya’s newest translational panels and biopharma service offerings
For more information about Akoya’s AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2025 presence, visit: View Source