Lunaphore COMET represents an advancement in biological imaging, offering a platform for analyzing multiple biomarkers on tissue samples simultaneously. This innovative technology aims to provide unprecedented detail, deepening understanding of complex biological systems. By enabling researchers to visualize numerous proteins and even RNA targets within their spatial context, COMET accelerates the pace of discovery. The system’s ability to extract rich, spatially resolved data from tissues is transforming how scientists investigate disease and develop new therapies.
Unveiling the Technology
Lunaphore COMET operates on the principle of multiplexing, detecting a large number of different protein markers and RNA targets on a single tissue section. This is achieved through a cyclical process known as sequential immunofluorescence (seqIF™). The system performs cycles of staining, imaging, and de-staining, building a multi-layered picture of the tissue.
Each cycle involves incubating the tissue with specific antibodies that bind to target biomarkers, followed by imaging to capture their fluorescent signals. After imaging, a gentle elution buffer removes the antibodies without damaging the tissue, preserving its integrity. This allows for the detection of up to 40 different markers on a single slide, with the potential for unlimited plex levels through multiple runs on the same slide.
The system incorporates Fast Fluidic Exchange (FFeX™) technology, which reduces incubation times from several hours to minutes. This active flow in a shallow microfluidic chamber ensures fast, uniform, and reproducible staining across the entire tissue sample. The automated workflow, from sample preparation to image pre-processing, maximizes reproducibility and preserves tissue morphology and epitope stability. This allows for downstream analyses like H&E staining or transcriptomics on the same slide.
Data generated by COMET is in OME-TIFF image format, which can be analyzed by various digital pathology platforms. Lunaphore offers HORIZON™ as a tool for image analysis, and the system is compatible with other established platforms such as Oncotopix® Discovery (Visiopharm), HALO® & HALO AI™ (Indica Labs), Nucleai AI-powered Solutions, and QuPath. This integration facilitates visualization and interpretation of the complex spatial data.
Revolutionizing Biomedical Research
The Lunaphore COMET platform impacts various biomedical research fields, providing detailed spatial insights into complex biological processes. In cancer research, it is valuable for understanding the tumor microenvironment (TME), which involves interactions between tumor cells, immune cells, and the surrounding stroma. By simultaneously profiling numerous biomarkers, researchers can identify new biomarkers, characterize cell types and subtypes, and understand tumor progression and response to therapies.
For instance, in a study involving immunotherapy-treated metastatic melanoma patients, COMET uncovered TME features that could predict therapy response. This combined multiplex immunofluorescence with AI-powered biomarker analysis, a step towards identifying predictive biomarkers in clinical trials. Visualizing spatial interactions between different cell types within the TME enhances understanding of treatment efficacy and supports development of more effective immunotherapy strategies.
In immunology, COMET allows detailed studies of immune cell interactions and their spatial distribution within tissues. This is important for understanding autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and inflammatory responses. The platform’s ability to detect both protein and RNA targets simultaneously, known as multiomics, provides a complete picture of cellular processes and disease mechanisms.
The spatially resolved data provided by COMET also accelerates drug discovery and development. By enabling researchers to identify biomarker “signatures” with clinical relevance, the technology supports the development of new diagnostic tools and helps streamline clinical trials. This comprehensive approach to tissue analysis leads to personalized medicine by tailoring treatments based on an individual’s molecular and cellular profiles.
Comparing COMET to Conventional Methods
Lunaphore COMET offers advantages over traditional tissue analysis methods such as standard immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF). Conventional IHC allows detection of one or a few markers on a single tissue section, often requiring multiple slides for comprehensive analysis. This can destroy tissue sections and lose spatial context, as each marker needs a separate section.
Similarly, traditional immunofluorescence, while offering more multiplexing than IHC, is still limited in the number of markers it can detect simultaneously, often staying below 10-plex analysis. These methods can also involve complex upstream processing of antibodies or tissue-damaging signal removal steps, which can compromise tissue integrity and affect accuracy.
COMET overcomes these limitations by enabling detection of a larger panel of markers, up to 40-plex, on a single slide while preserving tissue integrity and spatial information. The sequential immunofluorescence (seqIF™) method uses a gentle elution buffer to strip off antibodies without damaging the tissue, allowing repeated cycles of staining and imaging on the same sample. This maintains original tissue morphology and the location of cells and biomarkers.
The platform’s automated workflow, from staining to image acquisition and pre-processing, increases speed and reproducibility compared to manual or semi-automated conventional techniques. This automation reduces human intervention and variability, ensuring consistent and high-quality data. The ability to use off-the-shelf, label-free primary antibodies also simplifies panel design and accelerates antibody validation, making the process more flexible and faster.