CosMx SMI Unlocks Full Genome Imaging at Single-Cell Level: A Game-Changer for Spatial Biology

NanoString Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: NSTG), a prominent innovator in life science research tools, has unveiled a significant technological advancement with its CosMx Spatial Molecular Imager platform. The company released its inaugural public dataset demonstrating whole transcriptome capture at genuine single-cell resolution, marking a pivotal moment in spatial biology research. This achievement will be showcased at the 42nd J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference 2024 in San Francisco, scheduled for January 10, 2024, at 5:15 pm ET.

Revolutionary Imaging Capability Transforms Single-Cell Research

The CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel represents a watershed moment in genomic imaging technology. NanoString has become the first to deliver true single-cell whole transcriptome visualization, enabling simultaneous imaging of nearly every protein-coding gene in the human genome within preserved tissue sections. This capability fundamentally redefines what researchers can extract from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples.

By capturing approximately 19,000 genes in a single imaging run, the CosMx platform delivers nearly 40 times greater gene coverage compared to existing competitive solutions. This expanded analytical scope empowers researchers to process millions of cells per experiment, identify elusive cell populations that conventional methods miss, and contextualize cellular interactions within their native tissue environment. The approach delivers comparable or superior insights to traditional single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) while reducing per-cell analysis costs and accelerating cellular throughput.

The company intends to introduce the CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel to the commercial market in 2025, with prototypes currently generating compelling research results.

Pancreas Tissue Dataset Reveals Hidden Cellular Complexity

NanoString has made publicly available a groundbreaking whole transcriptome dataset generated from healthy human pancreatic tissue using the CosMx platform. This dataset showcases the functional cellular architecture of pancreatic tissue, revealing rare cell populations that traditional sequencing methods typically fail to preserve or identify.

Grant R. Kolar, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Research Microscopy and Histology Core at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, commented on the research implications: “With the CosMx Whole Transcriptome Panel, we can now investigate fundamental biological questions about pancreatic islet anatomy-function relationships that remain inaccessible to lower-complexity imaging approaches. This transformative capability promises to reshape our understanding of normal islet biology and unlock novel therapeutic insights into diabetes pathophysiology, potentially accelerating the development of innovative treatment strategies.”

The current dataset was generated using prototype instrumentation and associated analytical software; commercial-grade performance will exceed these initial results as the technology reaches full maturity.

Expanded Platform Capabilities Coming to Market

Beyond the whole transcriptome advancement, NanoString maintains its development timeline for the CosMx Human 6K Discovery Panel, anticipated for commercial availability beginning in Q1 2024. This next-generation assay provides sixfold higher multiplexing compared to existing CosMx configurations, enabling investigators to dissect cell states with greater granularity, map intricate intercellular communication networks, and characterize spatial responses to biological stimuli with unprecedented resolution.

The scientific community will encounter additional validation datasets during the AGBT conference (February 5-8, 2024, Orlando, Florida), where CosMx users will present spatial transcriptome results from pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, and human brain tissue research.

Comprehensive Spatial Biology Platform

NanoString’s integrated ecosystem addresses the full spectrum of spatial biology research needs. The GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler combines tissue-level imaging with simultaneous gene and protein profiling, enabling comprehensive spatial analysis at multiple biological scales. The CosMx platform specializes in single-cell imaging powered by spatial multiomics, allowing researchers to reconstruct cellular landscapes with single-cell precision. The AtoMx Spatial Informatics Platform provides cloud-based analysis and collaborative tools, democratizing spatial biology insights across research institutions. The nCounter Analysis System continues to serve as a foundational tool for profiling hundreds of genes, proteins, microRNAs, and copy number variations with high sensitivity and precision.

Forward-Looking Considerations

This announcement reflects NanoString’s confidence in market adoption of its spatial biology solutions, though actual results may vary based on competitive dynamics, economic conditions, manufacturing timelines, and other market factors detailed in company SEC filings. The company declines to commit to updating forward-looking statements beyond the current release date.

NanoString, GeoMx, CosMx, AtoMx, and nCounter represent registered trademarks of NanoString Technologies, Inc. across various jurisdictions.

Contact: Doug Farrell, Vice President of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Dfarrell@nanostring.com, Phone: 206-602-1768

Source: NanoString Technologies, Inc.