Spatial Biology's New Frontier in the Fight Against Lung Cancer

STOCKHOLM, March 17, 2026 -- A new research collaboration between Swedish biotech firm Pixelgen Technologies and the renowned Karolinska Institutet aims to solve one of the most pressing challenges in modern cancer care: predicting who will benefit from immunotherapy. By leveraging a groundbreaking technology that maps the microscopic universe on the surface of single cells, the project seeks to uncover novel biomarkers for non-small cell lung cancer, potentially ushering in a new era of personalized treatment for the world's deadliest cancer.

The Immunotherapy Conundrum

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for over 80% of all lung cancer cases and remains a formidable public health challenge. The advent of immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has been a paradigm shift, offering durable responses and improved survival for some patients by unleashing their own immune systems against tumors.

However, this therapeutic revolution comes with a significant caveat: it doesn't work for everyone. Objective response rates to ICIs in NSCLC patients hover between 20-30%, meaning a large majority of patients endure treatment, potential side effects, and substantial cost with little to no clinical benefit.

The central issue is the lack of reliable predictive biomarkers. The current standard, measuring the expression of a protein called PD-L1 on tumor cells, is an imperfect guide. Some patients with high PD-L1 levels fail to respond, while others with low or non-existent levels see remarkable benefits. Other markers, like tumor mutational burden (TMB), have also shown limited predictive power on their own. This diagnostic uncertainty creates a critical unmet need for more precise tools to stratify patients and guide treatment decisions.

"While other tools provide protein abundance analysis, Pixelgen's PNA brings a new dimension of understanding to the spatial organization and interactions of cell surface proteins that may prove useful for patient stratification," said Prof. Andreas Lundqvist of the Department of Oncology-Pathology at Karolinska Institutet, who is leading the academic side of the collaboration.

A New Dimension: Mapping the Cellular Interactome

The collaboration will deploy Pixelgen’s Proximity Network Assay (PNA), a technology that moves beyond simply counting proteins to mapping their nanoscale spatial relationships. The core idea is that a protein's function is not just determined by its presence, but by its neighbors and the networks it forms on the cell surface. This intricate web of connections is known as the "interactome."

Pixelgen's technology, commercially available as the Pixelgen Proxiome Kit, analyzes more than 150 different cell surface proteins simultaneously on individual cells. It generates a high-resolution map showing which proteins are clustered together and how they are organized. This is a significant leap from traditional methods like flow cytometry, which quantify proteins but discard this crucial spatial context.

The process involves tagging proteins with DNA barcodes. These barcodes are then amplified and linked together if they are in close proximity, creating a "network" of DNA fragments that can be read by next-generation sequencing. Sophisticated software then reconstructs the 3D spatial layout of the proteins on each cell. The hypothesis is that the specific patterns of these protein clusters—their shape, size, and composition—could be the key to a powerful new class of biomarkers that reflect a cell's true functional state and its likely response to immunotherapy.

A Synergy of Innovation and Expertise

This project represents a powerful synergy between a nimble, venture-backed biotech and a world-leading academic institution. Pixelgen, founded in 2020 and having raised over $29 million, brings its proprietary PNA technology and expertise in cell surface protein interactomics to the table. The company is on a mission to commercialize its platform to accelerate drug discovery and diagnostics.

Partnering with them is Prof. Andreas Lundqvist's group at Karolinska Institutet, a global powerhouse in medical research. Prof. Lundqvist's team provides deep expertise in tumor immunology, immune escape mechanisms, and the clinical realities of cancer treatment. This combination of cutting-edge technology and profound biological understanding is essential for translating a novel analytical method into a clinically meaningful application.

"We're very excited to embark on this collaboration with Prof. Lundqvist's group, which has made significant contributions to tumor immunology," noted Pixelgen Chief Business Development Officer Erik Pettersson. "Our hope is that this research will contribute to the understanding of the role single-cell protein interactions have in disease, identify biomarkers for immunotherapy response, and ultimately lead to the development of improved immunotherapies for cancer patients."

The teams plan to submit the results of their joint research to a peer-reviewed scientific journal, ensuring the findings are validated by the broader scientific community and laying the groundwork for future, larger-scale studies.

The Future of Precision Oncology

The collaboration's focus on NSCLC is just the beginning. The insights gained could have far-reaching implications for other cancers and diseases where cell surface protein interactions play a critical role. The approach targets the heart of precision medicine: delivering the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.

The endeavor is also set against the backdrop of a booming cancer biomarker market, projected to exceed $88 billion by 2034. While established giants like Roche and Illumina dominate the space, there is immense opportunity for innovative technologies like Pixelgen's PNA that address significant gaps in the current diagnostic landscape.

If successful, this research could provide oncologists with a powerful new tool to guide immunotherapy decisions for NSCLC patients. By moving beyond simple protein counts to the rich, contextual data of the cellular interactome, this partnership aims to unlock a deeper understanding of cancer biology. The ultimate goal is to improve patient outcomes, reduce futile treatments, and take the next significant step forward in the personalized fight against cancer.