CelLBxHealth Demonstrates Compatibility Between Parsortix Platform and Roche's Automated Staining System for ADC Target Analysis
Key Insights
CelLBxHealth (search) presented proof-of-concept data showing compatibility between its Parsortix platform and Roche's BenchMark ULTRA automated staining system at the World ADC Conference.
The study successfully analyzed three key ADC targets (HER2 (search), TROP2 (search), and PSMA (search)) using circulating tumor cells processed through the combined workflow.
The collaboration demonstrates potential for real-time biomarker assessment to guide ADC therapy selection, offering advantages over tissue biopsies through safer blood-based testing.
CelLBxHealth (search) plc announced successful proof-of-concept results demonstrating compatibility between its Parsortix platform and Roche Tissue Diagnostics (search)' BenchMark ULTRA automated staining system for analyzing antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targets. The study was presented at the 16th World ADC Conference in San Diego, the largest global event dedicated to ADCs with over 1,400 attendees.
Novel Workflow Integration
The study showcased a novel workflow combining CelLBxHealth (search)'s Parsortix platform and proprietary CellKeep slide with Roche's BenchMark ULTRA automated immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining platform. The integrated system enabled cell visualization and biomarker analysis across three key ADC targets: HER2 (search) (breast cancer), TROP2 (search) (lung cancer), and PSMA (search) (prostate cancer).
Roche holds a significant share of the overall tissue testing market, with its BenchMark ULTRA system processing 95 patient samples every minute, equating to more than 50 million samples annually. The system is considered a world-leading clinical automated staining platform.
Key Study Findings
The collaboration yielded two primary findings. Blood samples were successfully processed and cancer cell lines fixed and shipped to Roche Tissue Diagnostics (search)' site for automated IHC analysis using Roche's HER2 (search), TROP2 (search), and PSMA (search) assays. Additionally, for all biomarkers tested, the BenchMark ULTRA automated IHC staining proved compatible with CelLBxHealth (search)'s manual immunofluorescent staining workflow.
Clinical Advantages of CTC-Based Testing
Characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can overcome limitations of tissue biopsies in cancer care by offering a safer, faster, and less costly alternative that enables repeated testing when tissue samples are unavailable. Since cancer evolves over time and with treatment, real-time monitoring becomes critical for patient management.
CTCs provide a dynamic and up-to-date view of patient disease status as living cells shed from tumors into the bloodstream. For ADC treatment selection, CTCs are considered superior biomarkers compared to circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) because they allow direct analysis of target protein expression on cell surfaces, which is critical for ADC efficacy.
Market Context and Implications
The ADC market continues expanding rapidly, driven by demand for targeted, effective treatments with fewer side effects. Integrating CTC-based biomarker assessment into ADC development and clinical use could help optimize patient selection and improve treatment outcomes.
Peter Collins, Chief Executive Officer of CelLBxHealth (search), stated: "We are pleased to present initial results on our proof-of-concept study undertaken using Roche Tissue Diagnostics (search)' workflow. It is well known that targeted treatments that utilise biomarkers improve patient outcomes. As such, this study highlights the importance of targeted antigen expression on CTCs and their relevance for potentially guiding ADC therapy selection in real-time."
Collins added that the results highlight CTCs as accessible, dynamic biomarkers in oncology, noting that leading experts believe CTCs are positioned to add clinical utility to the metastatic cancer treatment landscape.