Pfizer Showcases Oncology Innovation and Next-Generation Pipeline at ASCO 2026

On April 21, 2026 Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) reported it will present new data across its diverse, industry-leading Oncology pipeline and portfolio at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, May 29 – June 2, 2026, in Chicago. Data from more than 40 company-sponsored, investigator-sponsored and collaborative research abstracts, including three late-breaking sessions and eight oral and rapid oral presentations, will be shared. These data highlight Pfizer’s leadership in establishing potential new standards of care across multiple cancer types and its next-generation pipeline of novel targets and combination strategies designed to extend impact into broader patient populations and earlier lines of therapy.

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!

"For people living with cancer and their families, every moment matters. We are moving with urgency to drive advances that have the potential to change standards of care – and striving to bring new, innovative options to patients in earlier lines of therapy," said Jeff Legos, Chief Oncology Officer, Pfizer. "Our progress is evident in the data presented at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) this year, which span our portfolio of established therapies, as well as next-generation, early-stage clinical research from one of the industry’s largest oncology R&D programs. Together, these results reinforce our ability to advance breakthroughs that may redefine clinical practice and change the lives of people with cancer."

Key highlights of Pfizer’s presence at ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) include:

Sharing new evidence for standard-of-care therapies in certain types of biomarker-driven colorectal and lung cancers

Seven-year update from the pivotal Phase 3 CROWN study further supports LORBRENA (lorlatinib) as a guideline-recommended first-line treatment for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Late-breaking presentation of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) data from Cohort 3 of the BREAKWATER* trial evaluating BRAFTOVI (encorafenib) in combination with cetuximab and FOLFIRI (fluorouracil, leucovorin and irinotecan) as a first-line regimen for patients with BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). These pivotal data further establish the benefit of this BRAFTOVI regimen following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) full approval and the topline results announcement for objective response rate (ORR) from this Cohort earlier this year.
Showcasing data on potential benefit of treatments in earlier lines of therapy for prostate and breast cancers

Late-breaking presentation from the Phase 3 TALAPRO-3 study will highlight clinically meaningful radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) benefit for TALZENNA (talazoparib) plus XTANDI** (enzalutamide) in metastatic castration‑sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) patients with homologous recombination repair gene alterations, with effects consistent across subgroups and a strong OS trend. These data follow the announcement of topline results in March 2026 and support the potential of TALZENNA plus XTANDI to deliver benefit earlier in the disease course.
Additional efficacy and safety outcomes by stratified subgroups from the Phase 3 HER2CLIMB-05 study investigating TUKYSA (tucatinib) in combination with trastuzumab and pertuzumab as first-line maintenance therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer (MBC). These results support TUKYSA’s potential use as part of a chemotherapy-free, first-line maintenance strategy for HER2+ MBC.
Advancing next-generation pipeline of novel mechanisms and differentiated combinations across solid tumors

Updated Phase 2 data for PF‑08634404 (PF’4404), a novel bispecific antibody targeting PD-1 and VEGF, as monotherapy in first-line PD-L1-expressing NSCLC. PF’4404 is being developed as a potential backbone therapy across tumor types, including an ongoing Symbiotic-Lung-01 Phase 3 study in combination with chemotherapy in first-line NSCLC regardless of PD-L1 expression and an ongoing Symbiotic-GI-03 Phase 3 study in first-line mCRC.
Updated results from a Phase 1 study of sigvotatug vedotin (SV), a novel integrin β6 (IB6)–directed ADC, in combination with pembrolizumab in NSCLC. These data support the ongoing SigVie-003 Phase 3 study of SV in combination with pembrolizumab in first-line NSCLC. An additional ongoing Phase 3 study, SigVie-002, is evaluating SV monotherapy in patients previously treated for advanced NSCLC.
The first results from a Phase 2 study of neoadjuvant atirmociclib, a highly selective CDK4 inhibitor, in combination with letrozole versus letrozole alone in people with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2- breast cancer. Atirmociclib is being developed as a potential first-in-class, next-generation cell cycle inhibitor backbone for HR+, HER2- breast cancer in the early adjuvant and first-line metastatic setting.
Findings from a Phase 1b study of a brain-penetrant MEK inhibitor, PF-07799544 (polfurmetinib), plus a next-generation BRAF inhibitor, PF-07799933 (claturafenib), in advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma.
Information on significant Pfizer and partner-sponsored abstracts, including date and time of presentation, follows in the chart below. A complete list of Pfizer and partner-sponsored abstracts and presentations is available here.

LUNG CANCER

Oral Presentation (Abstract 8502)

May 29, 2026 1:00 PM-4:00 PM CDT

Lorlatinib vs crizotinib as first-line treatment for advanced ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer: 7-year update from the phase 3 CROWN study

Mok et al

Rapid Oral Presentation (Abstract 8514)

May 30, 2026 1:15 PM-2:45 PM CDT

Updated results from a phase 2 trial of SSGJ-707 (PF-08634404), a PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, as monotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Wu et al

Poster Presentation (Abstract 8522)

May 31, 2026 9:00 AM-12:00 PM CDT

Sigvotatug vedotin (SV), an investigational integrin beta-6 (IB6)–directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), plus pembrolizumab: updated results from phase 1 study (SGNB6A-001)

Jaime et al

Poster Presentation (Abstract 8609)

May 31, 2026 9:00 AM-12:00 PM CDT

Reduction in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) significantly correlates with radiographic response and tumor PD-L1 expression in a phase 1 study of PDL1V (PF-08046054) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Saleh et al

COLORECTAL CANCER

Oral Presentation (Abstract LBA3503)

May 31, 2026 8:00 AM-11:00 AM CDT

BREAKWATER: Progression-free survival analysis of first-line (1L) encorafenib + cetuximab (EC) + FOLFIRI in BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) [LBA]

Kopetz et al

BREAST CANCER

Oral Presentation (Abstract 1005)

June 2, 2026 9:45 AM-12:45 PM CDT

Efficacy and safety of tucatinib (TUC) vs placebo (PBO) combined with trastuzumab and pertuzumab (HP) as maintenance therapy for HER2+ metastatic breast cancer (MBC) by stratified randomized subgroups

Hamilton et al

Rapid Oral Presentation (Abstract LBA1018)

May 31, 2026 11:30 AM-1:00 PM CDT

Palbociclib plus Tamoxifen ± goserelin in women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer (BC): PATHWAY, an Asian international double-blind randomized phase 3 trial: Final Overall Survival (OS) analysis [LBA]

Lu et al

Poster Presentation (Abstract 518)

June 1, 2026 1:30 PM-4:30 PM CDT

Neoadjuvant atirmociclib plus letrozole versus letrozole alone in women with HR+/HER2− breast cancer: results from FOURLIGHT-2, a randomized phase 2 window of opportunity study

Goel et al

Poster Presentation (Abstract 1042)

June 1, 2026 1:30 PM-4:30 PM CDT

Tucatinib (TUC) combined with trastuzumab and pertuzumab (HP) as first-line (1L) maintenance therapy for HER2+ metastatic breast cancer (MBC): an in-depth safety analysis of HER2CLIMB-05

Dieras et al

Poster Presentation (Abstract 1068)

June 1, 2026 1:30 PM-4:30 PM CDT

Long-term safety and adverse event (AE) management in patients with ER+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer (mBC) receiving prifestrastat, a first-in-class KAT6 inhibitor, in combination with fulvestrant

Layman et al

BLADDER/GENITOURINARY CANCERS

Oral Presentation (Abstract LBA5007)

May 30, 2026 3:00 PM-6:00 PM CDT

TALAPRO-3: Talazoparib (TALA) + enzalutamide (ENZA) compared with placebo (PBO) + ENZA for the treatment of patients (pts) with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) harboring homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene alterations [LBA]

Agarwal et al

Oral Presentation (Abstract 4507)

May 29, 2026 2:45 PM-5:45 PM CDT

Enfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab (EV+P) vs chemotherapy for previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC): 3.5-year follow-up and response analyses from the phase 3 EV-302 study

Powles et al

Oral Presentation (Abstract 4510)

May 30, 2026 8:00 AM-9:30 AM CDT

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with neoadjuvant and adjuvant (neoadj-adj) enfortumab vedotin (EV) plus pembrolizumab (pembro) in participants (pts) with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who are cisplatin ineligible: phase 3 KEYNOTE-905 study [MSD led]

O’Donnell et al

Oral Presentation (Abstract 5006)

May 30, 2026 3:00 PM-6:00 PM CDT

Final results from ZZFIRST: a randomized phase 2 trial of enzalutamide (EZ) and talazoparib (TALA) in metastatic hormone-naïve prostate cancer (mHNPC)

Mateo et al

Poster Presentation (Abstract 4613)

May 31, 2026 9:00 AM-12:00 PM CDT

Neoadjuvant and adjuvant (neoadj-adj) enfortumab vedotin (EV) plus pembrolizumab (pembro) in participants with cisplatin-ineligible muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC): An analysis of clinically relevant subgroups in KEYNOTE-905 [MSD led]

Adra et al

Poster Presentation (Abstract 5043)

May 31, 2026 9:00 AM-12:00 PM CDT

Impact of baseline demographics on therapy management in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with talazoparib (TALA) + enzalutamide (ENZA) in the TALAPRO-2 study: extended follow-up

De Giorgi et al

MELANOMA

Rapid Oral Presentation (Abstract 9512)

May 30, 2026 4:30 PM-6:00 PM CDT

Phase 1b study of a brain-penetrant MEK inhibitor, PF-07799544, plus next-generation BRAF dimer inhibitor, PF-07799933, in advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma

Chen et al

MULTIPLE MYELOMA

Oral Presentation (Abstract 7500)

May 29, 2026 2:45 PM-5:45 PM CDT

Safety and efficacy of elranatamab as early intervention in patients with high-risk smoldering myeloma: First results from the phase 2 ERASMM (EMN34) study

Touzeau et al

OTHER GYNECOLOGICAL CANCERS

Poster Presentation (Abstract 5627)

June 1, 2026 9:00 AM-12:00 PM CDT

A phase 2 study evaluating SSGJ-707 (PF-08634404), a PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, + chemotherapy (chemo) in patients (pts) with first-line (1L) advanced/recurrent endometrial cancer (EC)

(Press release, Pfizer, APR 21, 2026, View Source [SID1234664643])

Foghorn Therapeutics Presents New Preclinical Data for Selective SMARCA2 Inhibitor FHD-909 and for Selective CBP, EP300 and ARID1B Degrader Programs at the 2026 AACR Annual Meeting

On April 21, 2026 Foghorn Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: FHTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new class of medicines that treat serious diseases by correcting abnormal gene expression, reported new preclinical data for Selective SMARCA2 inhibitor FHD-909 showing complete and durable tumor regression together with anti-tumor immune memory following combination treatment with an anti-PD-1 antibody in preclinical syngeneic mouse models. The company also reported new preclinical data for its Selective CBP and Selective EP300 degrader programs, demonstrating favorable efficacy and safety profiles across a range of difficult-to-treat cancers, in addition to progress with its Selective ARID1B degrader program. These data were unveiled in multiple oral and poster presentations at the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.

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!

"These exciting new preclinical data highlight FHD-909’s potential in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody in SMARCA4-mutated cancers," said Adrian Gottschalk, President and Chief Executive Officer of Foghorn. "Additionally, our selective CBP degrader continues to show promise in ER+ breast cancer models and our selective EP300 degrader outperforms its clinical benchmark in preclinical multiple myeloma models. We also shared that we have achieved robust degradation with our cereblon-based selective ARID1B degraders, designed for potential oral bioavailability. We are pleased with the continued progress across our innovative pipeline which has the potential to provide meaningful benefit to patients."

Oral Presentation Highlights

Title: Leveraging paralog relationships for targeting chromatin modulators in cancer: ARID1B and SMARCA2 (FHD-909)

We are advancing a first-in-class selective enzymatic inhibitor of SMARCA2 in collaboration with Lilly, FHD-909, as well as first-in-class selective ARID1B degraders for ARID1A-mutant cancers. Updates include:

FHD-909:

Complete regression in pre-clinical syngeneic efficacy models of FHD-909 in combination with an anti-PD1 antibody, with tumors failing to regrow after dosing halted
Tumor rejection upon rechallenge, where attempts to implant fresh tumor on the opposite flank of previously treated animals with FHD-909 plus an anti-PD1 antibody were not successful, suggesting an immune memory effect
ARID1B:

Robust degradation achieved with cereblon-based selective ARID1B degraders with potential for oral bioavailability
Title: Targeting chromatin regulatory proteins in hematologic malignancies

Targeting EP300 represents a well-validated example of lineage dependence in hematologic malignancies. In preclinical multiple myeloma studies, selective EP300 degraders show:

Tumor regression, including a model with acquired resistance to pomalidomide with superior efficacy to clinical benchmark dual CBP/EP300 inhibitor inobrodib
A profound impact on multiple transcription factors important for the survival of multiple myeloma cells
Synergistic impact on cancer cells in the context of combinations with several standards of care
Poster Presentation Highlights

Title: Preclinical characterization of FHT-171, a first-in-class degrader targeting CREB-binding protein (CBP) in CBP-dependent solid tumors

FHT-171 is a selective CBP degrader with potential to treat CBP-dependent solid tumors showing:

Strong anti-tumor activity as a monotherapy in PDX models of heavily pretreated ER+ breast cancer
Favorable tolerability profile in preclinical in vivo studies
High selectivity and potent CBP degradation with clear on-target transcriptional effects by SAR, proteomics, and mechanistic analyses
Mechanistic understanding of the utility of CBP degraders in ER+ breast cancer
Title: Preclinical evaluation of selective and potent EP300 degraders demonstrates robust antitumor activity and favorable tolerability in hematologic malignancies

Foghorn’s Selective EP300 degraders demonstrate promise for the treatment of hematological malignancies with preclinical data showing:

Superior anti-tumor activity, including complete responses, compared to clinical benchmark dual CBP/EP300 inhibitor inobrodib
Superior safety, by body weight loss and platelet counts, over dual degradation
Tumor regression in a multiple myeloma xenograft model of acquired pomalidomide resistance
Selective EP300 degradation as a novel and promising therapeutic strategy to treat multiple myeloma
Title: Identification of first-in-class selective ARID1B degraders

Selective ARID1B degraders represent a first-in-class approach to target prevalent ARID1A-mutant cancers by exploiting a synthetic lethal dependency. Preclinical data of this previously intractable target show:

Successful identification of the first selective ARID1B binders
Robust degradation via VHL and CRBN-based mechanisms
Clear on-mechanism activity with downstream transcriptional modulation
The presentations and the posters will be accessible under the Science section of the Company’s website.

(Press release, Foghorn Therapeutics, APR 21, 2026, View Source [SID1234664659])

Precede Biosciences Launches Precede Bio Insight™, a Genome-Wide Liquid Biopsy for Functional Tumor Biology at AACR 2026

On April 21, 2026 Precede Biosciences, a company powering next-generation precision medicine through its comprehensive epigenomic liquid biopsy platform, reported the launch of Precede Bio Insight and the presentation of new data at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2026 Annual Meeting, held April 17–22 in San Diego, California.

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!

Precede Bio Insight is a first-of-its-kind product that decodes genome-wide transcriptional biology from cell-free DNA in just 1 mL of plasma, enabling quantitative inference of gene expression, pathway activity, and cell states with concordance to tissue-based measurements. By simultaneously assessing therapeutic targets, resistance pathways, and tumor lineage programs in a single assay, Insight provides a functional, systems-level view of tumor biology to inform drug development and patient selection.

"Cancer clinical trials enroll close to 300,000 patients annually, yet access to real-time functional tumor biology remains limited, constraining mechanistic insight and the ability to refine therapeutic development strategies," said Rehan Verjee, Chief Executive Officer of Precede Biosciences. "With the launch of Precede Bio Insight, R&D teams can now serially access genome-wide visibility across targets, pathways, and cell states from just 1 mL of plasma, enabling smarter decisions about patient selection, treatment combinations, and sequencing."

The Insight launch is supported by a growing body of clinical evidence, including the three studies presented at AACR (Free AACR Whitepaper) 2026, conducted in collaboration with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Genentech, and Emory University School of Medicine. Across these studies, profiling from plasma:

Correlated with tissue-based measures of tumor biology, including RNA expression and protein target expression
Enabled multiplexed, quantitative assessment of therapeutically relevant targets and pathways such as DLL3, CEACAM5, and the ER pathway
Captured tumor heterogeneity and lineage plasticity, including continuous states of neuroendocrine differentiation
Predicted response to endocrine therapy, including next-generation SERDs, through a plasma-based functional measure of tumor ER pathway dependence
Provided early pharmacodynamic readout of treatment response
Revealed resistance mechanisms beyond genomic alterations

AACR 2026 Presentations

Characterization of functional estrogen receptor (ER) dependence via comprehensive epigenomic liquid biopsy stratifies endocrine therapy (ET) responders with metastatic breast cancer (MBC)
A liquid biopsy assay of estrogen receptor activity predicts response to giredestrant in ER+/HER2− advanced breast cancer
Plasma-based comprehensive epigenomic profiling enables multiplexed prediction of target gene expression and detection of resistance mechanisms

Data presentations are available in the presentations section of the company website at www.precede.bio.

(Press release, Precede Biosciences, APR 21, 2026, View Source [SID1234664675])

Cadonilimab Combination Demonstrates Promising Survival Benefit in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: Phase II COMPASSION-26 Data Presented at AACR 2026

On April 20, 2026 Akeso, Inc. (9926.HK) ("Akeso" or the "Company") reported that positive Phase II results from the COMPASSION-26 study evaluating cadonilimab, its first-in-class PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody, in combination with chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), were presented at the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) Annual Meeting.

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!

As of the October 20, 2025 data cutoff, with a median follow-up of more than two years, the cadonilimab plus chemotherapy combination continued to deliver robust and durable survival benefits. Results were particularly strong in patients with locally advanced disease, where the median PFS reached 11.1 months and the median OS exceeded 23 months. Landmark survival rates in this group included a 12-month OS rate of 91.7% and a 24-month OS rate of 44.1%.

The cadonilimab regimen also provided strong tumor control across the overall study population. Of the patients evaluable for efficacy (95% had at least one post-baseline tumor assessment), the objective response rate (ORR) was 33.9% and the disease control rate (DCR) reached 96.4%. Response rates were similar between patients with locally advanced and metastatic disease, indicating consistent benefit across both subgroups.

No new safety signals were identified, and the overall safety profile of the cadonilimab combination remained favorable and manageable.

Cadonilimab is the world’s first approved bispecific antibody for cancer immunotherapy, having received marketing approval in 2022. In extensive real-world clinical practice and multiple Phase III studies, it has demonstrated clinically meaningful benefit across all patient populations regardless of PD-L1 expression status, addressing a significant unmet medical need and earning broad recognition from physicians and patients.

As a cornerstone therapy in the era of tumor immunotherapy 2.0, cadonilimab not only offers the significant advantage of clinical benefit across broad patient populations, but has also demonstrated important breakthrough potential in difficult-to-treat settings, including immunotherapy-refractory disease and immunologically "cold" tumors. Akeso is fully leveraging its global leadership in bispecific antibody development for oncology to continue addressing major unmet clinical needs and advancing transformative treatment options for patients with challenging cancers.

(Press release, Akeso Biopharma, APR 20, 2026, View Source [SID1234664559])

Takara Bio USA, Inc. Validates New Class of Spatial Technology with Benchmark Study for Cancer Research

On April 20, 2026 Takara Bio USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc. ("Takara Bio"), reported data from a benchmark study comparing key performance metrics of its Trekker FX technology against conventional spatial methods. This study was conducted using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples from human lung squamous cell carcinoma. This study is the first in a planned series of independent studies to validate the advantages of Trekker FX technology over other existing spatial transcriptomics products. Takara Bio USA will present a poster on the findings at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) conference, taking place this week in San Diego.

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!

"This benchmark study demonstrates that Trekker FX enables higher resolution, easier scalability, and deeper unbiased spatial characterization and insights than other methods," said Andrew Farmer, PhD, CSO of Takara Bio USA. "By combining true single-cell spatial mapping with broad molecular detection, the Trekker approach represents an entirely new class of spatial technology that complements existing single-cell sequencing workflows and expands what researchers can reveal in a cell’s native tissue environment."

In this benchmark study, Trekker FX delivered improved whole-transcriptome detection through its unique donation-based spatial tagging approach, which maintains single-cell NGS sensitivity. This results in Trekker FX being able to identify key subpopulations relevant in tumor biology (i.e., Tregs, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, lymphatic endothelial cells, and others). Trekker FX also identified 3X more statistically significant ligand-receptor interactions to better uncover how cells communicate within the tumor microenvironment.

The benchmark study was conducted by Takara Bio Genome Analysis Center in Japan, leveraging its world-class service capabilities and expertise across various spatial products and solutions. As a global leader in biotech research and development, Takara Bio offers a wide range of services that help scientists around the world push their research to new frontiers with a comprehensive array of technologies. Takara Bio USA, a subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc., published this study as the first in a new benchmarking series. This technology is now being further explored by top independent researchers, reflecting strong external validation beyond Takara Bio.

AACR poster presentation details

Title: Cross-platform comparison of spatial transcriptomics technologies in an FFPE lung squamous cell carcinoma sample
Abstract: View Source!/21436/presentation/10770
Session date and time: April 21, 2026, from 9:00 am–12:00 pm PST
Presenter: Bryan Bell, PhD
Location: Section 31
Poster board number: 17
Presentation number: 4960

(Press release, Takara Bio, APR 20, 2026, View Source [SID1234664576])