Improving the Diagnostic Accuracy of the PD-L1 Test with Image Analysis and Multiplex Hybridization

Adapted from a line in “Ode to a Mouse” from fellow countryman Robert Burns, the phrase, “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry”, indicate that no matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it unfortunately speaks to the reality of clinical trials for novel therapeutics, with approximately only 11% of drugs that begin phase I clinical trials eventually being licensed.

It’s clearly a very timely discussion with many recent articles reviewing the complexities of the tumor microenvironment and overall tumor heterogeneity that have been implicated in late-stage clinical failures, underscoring an urgent need for tests that accurately predict response to the growing number of available therapies.

It is clear that “zoom fatigue” has set in, and some of the novelty of virtual conferences has worn off in the past year; having said that, they are likely here to stay, even as in-person events return with hybrid events in 2022.

I have learned in my career that there is a special recipe for making young companies successful. You need to have an amazing product that enables customers to accomplish their goals in a better way than their current method.

As I approach my one-year anniversary with Ultivue, I am excited to be part of a vibrant, rapidly growing company committed to transforming anatomic pathology with our next generation staining technology, InSituPlex®.

Despite advances in immunotherapy, it’s clear that only a minority of patients respond. Therapies that rely on immune activation, such as checkpoint inhibitors, have been shown to be especially difficult due to the complex and heterogeneous immune escape mechanisms which can develop in each patient. Clearly there’s much anticipation and focus on new contenders for successful combination checkpoint therapy.

GEN: Typically, image analysis tools are greatly influenced by inconsistent staining results and even different techniques used for multiplexing. How does the software used by OracleBio account for inter- and intra-run variability in staining quality? Lorcan. To be honest, we do see staining variability in some sample sets, especially in complex tissues from large clinical

If you stand too close to the painting for too long observing all the details, you begin to lose sight of what those brush strokes have created. Only when you step back to take in the scene can you have a full understanding and appreciation for how the individual elements come together to create a work of art.