NanoString Technologies Supports the Human Cell Atlas (HCA) to Enable High-plex Spatial Analysis Across Discovery Programs

NanoString Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:NSTG), a provider of life science tools for translational research and molecular diagnostic products, today announced that it will support the Human Cell Atlas (HCA) initiative for high-plex, spatial quantitation of RNA and protein across a variety of tissue types. Under the terms of the agreement, HCA members and their institutions will have access to NanoString’s GeoMx™ Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) under preferred commercial terms.

The HCA is a global, scientist-led collaboration to create comprehensive reference maps of all human cells—the fundamental units of life—as a basis for both understanding human health and diagnosing, monitoring, and treating disease. Once complete, it will be a fundamental resource for scientists, allowing them to better understand how healthy cells work, and what goes wrong when disease strikes.

“Understanding spatially-resolved, molecular tissue profiles for both protein and RNA allows HCA researchers to gain insight into how cells interact, how they function, and, for instance, how specific cancer cells and their neighboring immune cells engage with and without therapeutic intervention,” said Sarah Teichmann, Ph.D., Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee for the International HCA.

"We are honored to support the 1,000+ member institutions of the Human Cell Atlas consortium to incorporate state-of-the-art spatial analysis into this landmark endeavor. The GeoMx DSP system enables high-plex quantitation of both RNA and proteins with spatial context, which we believe will be valuable in basic discovery as well as translational medicine applications. Today we announced the availability of high-plex spatial analysis of 1,600 genes through our Technology Access Program, and we intend to offer this application commercially for read-out on next-generation sequencers next year,” said Brad Gray, president and CEO of NanoString.

In addition, NanoString is opening a Spatial Biology Grant that HCA members can apply for. The grants will provide a project of 12 samples with up to 12 Regions of Interest, using GeoMx RNA and Protein Assays for Immuno-oncology run through the DSP Technology Access Program. The Grant will be open December 1 through December 31, 2019, with a winner selected in January 2020.

For more information on the Spatial Biology Grant program, please visit https://www.nanostring.com/products/geomx-digital-spatial-profiler/geomx-dsp/hca-grant

About NanoString Technologies, Inc.

NanoString Technologies is a leading provider of life science tools for translational research and molecular diagnostic products. The company’s nCounter® Analysis System is used in life sciences research and has been cited in more than 2,800 peer-reviewed publications. The nCounter Analysis System offers a cost-effective way to easily profile the expression of hundreds of genes, proteins, miRNAs, or copy number variations, simultaneously with high sensitivity and precision, facilitating a wide variety of basic research and translational medicine applications, including biomarker discovery and validation. The company’s GeoMx™ Digital Spatial Profiler enables highly-multiplexed spatial profiling of RNA and protein targets in a variety of sample types, including FFPE tissue sections. The company's technology is also being used in diagnostics. The Prosigna® Breast Cancer Prognostic Gene Signature Assay together with the nCounter Dx Analysis System is FDA 510(k) cleared for use as a prognostic indicator for distant recurrence of breast cancer.

For more information, please visit www.nanostring.com.

NanoString, NanoString Technologies, the NanoString logo, GeoMx, nCounter and Prosigna are trademarks or registered trademarks of NanoString Technologies, Inc. in various jurisdictions.

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Doug Farrell
Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
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Phone: 206-602-1768