Akoya Biosciences Expands Biopharma Service Portfolio with New ADC Breast Cancer Assay and Real-world IO60 Insights at AACR 2025

Rhea-AI Summary

Akoya Biosciences (NASDAQ: AKYA) has announced two major developments in its spatial biology portfolio. First, the company launched a new multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) assay for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development in breast cancer, now available through Advanced Biopharma Services (ABS). The panel includes HER2, TROP2, Ki-67, ER/PR, and a membrane-localization cocktail, enabling precise patient selection and quantification of ADC targets.

The assay is optimized for identifying HER2-low and TROP2-high patients in clinical trials and features comprehensive support from a CLIA-certified laboratory. Additionally, Akoya will showcase customer-generated real-world data from their PhenoCode™ Discovery IO60 panel at the AACR 2025 Annual Meeting (April 25-30, Chicago), demonstrating its capabilities in immune phenotyping and tumor microenvironment profiling.

Positive

• Launch of new ADC breast cancer assay expanding biopharma service portfolio
• CLIA-certified laboratory capabilities for clinical-grade assay development
• Customer validation of IO60 panel demonstrating real-world effectiveness

Negative

• None.

ADC assay now available through ABS; customer study proves IO60 is a spatial workhorse

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Akoya Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKYA), The Spatial Biology Company®, today announced the availability of a new assay designed to advance antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development in breast cancer. 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) 2025 Annual Meeting, taking place April 25–30 in Chicago, Illinois.

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 2024, the PhenoCode Discovery IO60 panel remains the fastest ultrahigh-plex spatial proteomics solution for immuno-oncology research. At AACR 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 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 2025 presence, visit: https://sb.akoyabio.com/aacr2025.

About Akoya Biosciences

As The Spatial Biology Company®, Akoya Biosciences’ mission is to bring context to the world of biology and human health through the power of spatial phenotyping. The Company offers comprehensive single-cell imaging solutions that allow researchers to phenotype cells with spatial context and visualize how they organize and interact to influence disease progression and response to therapy. Akoya offers a full continuum of spatial phenotyping solutions to serve the diverse needs of researchers across discovery, translational and clinical research: PhenoCode™ Panels and PhenoCycler®, PhenoImager® Fusion and PhenoImager HT Instruments. To learn more about Akoya, visit www.akoyabio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. All statements contained in this release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the potential of our products and services, statements regarding the potential of spatial biology in translational research, and other statements regarding our business strategies and plans and objectives for future operations.

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are described under "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and elsewhere in the documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. We caution you that forward-looking statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our projections of the future, about which we cannot be certain. As a result, the forward-looking statements may not prove to be accurate. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent our views as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.

Investor Contact:
Priyam Shah
investors@akoyabio.com

Media Contact:
Ritu Mihani
media@akoyabio.com

FAQ

What is the new ADC breast cancer assay launched by Akoya Biosciences (AKYA)?

Akoya's new multiplex immunofluorescence panel includes HER2, TROP2, Ki-67, ER/PR, and a membrane-localization cocktail, designed for precise ADC target quantification and patient selection in breast cancer treatment.

How does Akoya's (AKYA) new ADC assay benefit breast cancer research?

The assay enables normalized protein expression measurement, membrane/cytoplasmic expression ratios analysis, and comparison with standard IHC biomarkers, helping identify HER2-low and TROP2-high patients for clinical trials.

What capabilities does Akoya's (AKYA) Advanced Biopharma Services offer for the new ADC panel?

ABS provides comprehensive support including assay customization, tissue staining, high-resolution imaging, analysis, and reporting through their CLIA-certified laboratory.

What will Akoya Biosciences (AKYA) present at AACR 2025?

At AACR 2025, Akoya will showcase their new ADC breast cancer assay and customer-generated data from the PhenoCode Discovery IO60 panel, demonstrating capabilities in immune phenotyping and tumor microenvironment profiling.