News
Ionpath Announces Executive Chair Appointment and CEO Promotion<span class='news-meta'>Dec 6 2023</span>
Company names Paul Davy as CEO, appoints David Summa as Executive Chairman of the Board
MENLO PARK, Calif., December 6, 2023 — (BUSINESS WIRE)–Ionpath, a pioneer in high-plex spatial proteomics, today announced that Paul Davy, former Vice President of Customer Experience, has been appointed CEO of the company. Outgoing CEO David Summa is now Executive Chairman of Ionpath’s Board of Directors.
Mr. Summa served as CEO at Ionpath, leading the company’s transition from a traditional hardware business to a hardware-as-service business, concluding with the recent launch of the MIBIplus service at the annual meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer. Currently, Mr. Summa is a Venture Partner with Genoa Ventures. He has 12 years of prior CEO experience at four startups, and was a partner at McKinsey & Company, where he led the Innovation practice.
“I enjoyed serving as CEO at Ionpath during this period of transition. Ionpath has an exceptional team, founders, and Board,” said Mr. Summa. “We were able to pivot and launch MIBIplus in less than six months. I look forward to continued involvement as Chairman and am pleased to pass the torch to Paul Davy.”
Mr. Davy brings more than 20 years of experience in the life sciences industry. He has led multinational teams at industry-leading life science companies including Molecular Devices and Pall Corporation. He joined Ionpath in 2021 and has been responsible for creating an exceptional customer experience across the company’s portfolio of products and services.
Mr. Davy commented: “As CEO of Ionpath and with our dedicated team, we will remain focused on driving innovation in spatial biology. Together, we aim to empower the scientific community to achieve groundbreaking advancements, particularly in fields like immuno-oncology and neuroscience, with our MIBI technology.”
To view the management team updates at Ionpath, visit the management page.
About Ionpath
Ionpath, Inc., is a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, revolutionizing tissue imaging and analysis to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. Ionpath’s MIBI™ (multiplexed ion beam imaging) platform breaks through the limitations of traditional immunohistochemistry, enabling a deeper understanding of the tissue microenvironment with highly multiplexed, quantitative single-cell analysis. With MIBI technology and the expertise of world-class pathology and data science teams, Ionpath provides actionable insights for translational and clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research organizations in immuno-oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and infectious disease research.
Media Contact
Suzanne Howard
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Ionpath Launches MIBIplus and MIBIsight, A New Service Offering and User-Friendly Bioinformatics Tools, at SITC 2023<span class='news-meta'>Oct 31 2023</span>
Ionpath’s single-cell, spatial proteomics service utilizes its multiplexed ion beam imaging (MIBI™) technology, which uses mass spectrometry to query dozens of proteins with unmatched sensitivity and true subcellular resolution. The service offering, known as MIBIplus, launches with a human immuno-oncology panel that enables the detection of more than 40 relevant cell types in a single scan for a more complete view of the biological mechanisms in the tissue microenvironment affecting drug response, cancer progression, and more. Tissue samples are processed and run at Ionpath, and data is analyzed and returned to clients through a standardized report of actionable information. Ionpath’s new user-friendly analysis tool, MIBIsight, allows for iteration and customization of the standardized report by the customer to answer specific research questions.
“We’ve heard customers express high interest in a way to convert raw image data into actionable insights,” said David Summa, CEO of Ionpath. “In response, we are launching a new service offering, with user-friendly bioinformatic tools enabling scientists to take control of their data interpretation.”
The MIBIplus immuno-oncology service is now available for human tissue samples, and will soon be available for mouse samples as well. Projects can be completed from start to finish in two months or less. Special introductory pricing is available for new clients interested in learning how MIBI technology works with their samples through pilot projects.
To learn more about the immuno-oncology service, please visit our SITC booth (#1107) or our website: https://www.ionpath.com/mibiplus/.
About Ionpath
Ionpath, Inc., is a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, revolutionizing tissue imaging and analysis to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. Ionpath’s MIBI™ (multiplexed ion beam imaging) platform breaks through the limitations of traditional immunohistochemistry, enabling a deeper understanding of the tissue microenvironment with highly multiplexed, quantitative single-cell analysis. With MIBI technology and the expertise of world-class pathology and data science teams, Ionpath provides actionable insights for translational and clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research organizations in immuno-oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and infectious disease research.
Media Contact
Suzanne Howard
suzanne@bioscribe.com
Ionpath Announces Shift Toward Spatial Proteomics Services Business<span class='news-meta'>May 24 2023</span>
Company will use its deep technology expertise to deliver actionable phenotypic data for tissue profiling studies
MENLO PARK, Calif., May 24, 2023 — Ionpath, a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, today announced a rebalancing of the company’s focus toward its Spatial Proteomics Services. The company will suspend sales of its multiplexed ion beam imaging (MIBI™) technology as a standalone platform in favor of using these instruments for its service business. Ionpath will continue to support its service customers and its installed base of instruments by selling consumables and servicing equipment.
“We see a real opportunity to lower the barriers to using MIBIscope through the hardware-as-a-service business model,” said David Summa, CEO of Ionpath. “We believe this is the best path to meet demand for MIBI-powered insights and to expand access to MIBI data to many more scientific teams, and this is why I was so excited to come aboard and lead Ionpath forward.”
“When we launched our Spatial Proteomics Services program, we tapped into robust demand for high-quality cell profiling data, particularly from the drug discovery and development market,” said Goran Pljevaljcic, Chief Business Officer. “By focusing exclusively on our service business, we are able to get actionable data into customers’ hands in a matter of weeks, eliminating the lengthy process required to purchase and install an instrument.”
Ionpath’s MIBI technology system delivers spatially resolved, single-cell proteomic data representing even the most complex tissue microenvironments with the throughput and reproducibility required for clinical studies. It allows researchers to visualize up to 40 biomarkers simultaneously, enabling deep phenotypic profiling. The MIBI platform is based on highly multiplexed, quantitative protein imaging with unmatched sensitivity and true subcellular resolution.
Ionpath scientists will continue to develop and rely on MIBI technology as the foundation for the company’s Spatial Proteomics Services program. Customers with projects for discovery and clinical applications will be able to submit their tissue samples for analysis with a standard panel of protein biomarker targets for immune profiling and get results in three weeks.
Due to the rebalancing of the business, the company has reduced and refocused its workforce toward supporting a robust services offering.
To learn more about the Spatial Proteomics Services, please visit: https://www.ionpath.com/spatial-proteomic-services/
About Ionpath
Ionpath, Inc., is a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, revolutionizing tissue imaging and analysis to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. Ionpath’s MIBI™ (multiplexed ion beam imaging) platform breaks through the limitations of traditional immunohistochemistry, enabling a deeper understanding of the tissue microenvironment with highly multiplexed, quantitative single-cell analysis. With MIBI technology and the expertise of world-class pathology and data science teams, Ionpath provides actionable insights for translational and clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research organizations in immuno-oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and infectious disease research.
Media Contact
Suzanne Howard
suzanne@bioscribe.com
Ionpath Showcases Real-Time Spatial Phenotyping Using MIBI Spatial Proteomics Technology at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer<span class='news-meta'>Nov 8 2022</span>
Several studies highlight utility of Ionpath’s multiplexed ion beam imaging (MIBI) technology in spatial proteomics applications
MENLO PARK, Calif., November 8, 2022 — Ionpath, a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, today announced that the results of several studies enabled by multiplexed ion beam imaging (MIBI™) technology will be presented in posters at this week’s annual meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). Ionpath will also be featuring a first-of-its-kind data acquisition with real-time spatial phenotyping on the MIBIscope, shared via live feed at its exhibit hall booth (#200). The novel feature is part of the 24-hour sample-to-answer workflow. A demo of the novel AI-powered analysis portion of the workflow will also be available at the booth.
Ionpath’s MIBI technology system delivers actionable insights of single cells in their complex tissue microenvironment with the throughput and reproducibility required for clinical studies. The MIBI platform is based on highly multiplexed, quantitative protein imaging with unmatched sensitivity and true subcellular resolution. It allows researchers to visualize 40 proteins simultaneously, enabling deep phenotypic profiling and spatial analysis of the tumor microenvironment.
“Across the oncology and immunotherapy communities, many scientists have already produced remarkable new results and insights about disease progression and treatment response with MIBI technology,” said Sander Gubbens, PhD, CEO of Ionpath. “We are pleased that SITC conference attendees will have the opportunity to explore a few of these results in poster presentations and to see our platform in action at our conference booth for a better understanding of how high-definition spatial proteomics can support critical cancer studies.”
SITC 2022 Poster Presentations
Poster #89
“Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI) uncovers adaptive immune responses associated with clinical outcomes in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitor”
Raghav Padmanabhan, Hannah M. Knochelmann, Monirath Hav, Mate L. Nagy, Peng Si, Sweta Bajaj, Gregory B. Lesinski, David Neskey, and Chrystal M. Paulos
Poster #1292
“A reproducible pipeline for analysis of multiplex imaging (MIBI) data with application to uncovering novel features of the tumor-immune microenvironment”
Jessica Maxey, Marshall A. Thompson, Katie Campbell, Benjamin Kamphaus, Zaid Bustami, Sandra Santulli-Marotto, Daniel Wells, Silvia Boffo, Lisa M. Salvador, Philip O. Scumpia, Christine N. Spencer, Adam Schoenfeld, Antoni Ribas, and Lacey J. Kitch
Poster #1294
“An Automated Machine Learning Framework for Rapid Quantification and Analysis of Multiplexed Ion Beam Images (MIBI)”
Raghav Padmanabhan, Mate L. Nagy, Stanislaw Nowak, Peng Si, Sweta Bajaj, and Monirath Hav
Poster #1446
Multiplexed ion beam imaging identifies B-cell enrichment in the RHAMM-high invasive niche of breast cancer
Yuyu He, Grant M. Barthel, Raghav Padmanabhan, Colleen Forster, Hanna Root, Mate L. Nagy, Stanislaw Nowak, James B. McCarthy, Kathryn L. Schwertfeger, and Andrew C. Nelson
About Ionpath
Ionpath, Inc., is a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, revolutionizing tissue imaging and analysis to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. Ionpath’s MIBI™ (multiplexed ion beam imaging) platform breaks through the limitations of traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC), enabling a deeper understanding of the tissue microenvironment with highly multiplexed, quantitative single-cell analysis. With MIBI technology and the expertise of world-class pathology and data science teams, Ionpath provides actionable insights for translational and clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research organizations in immuno-oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and infectious disease research.
Media Contact
Suzanne Howard
suzanne@bioscribe.com
Company Contact
Goran Pljevaljcic
goran.pljevaljcic@ionpath.com
Ionpath Receives Strategic Investment to Support Spatial Proteomics Innovation<span class='news-meta'>May 11 2022</span>
New funding will be used to advance Ionpath’s MIBI technology in translational research and precision medicine
MENLO PARK, Calif., May 11, 2022 — Ionpath, Inc., a leader in high-definition spatial proteomics, today announced that Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, has made a strategic investment in the company. Details of the investment are not being disclosed.
“Precision medicine is being driven by advances in proteomics, and this strategic investment is a tremendous vote of confidence in our pioneering MIBI spatial proteomics technology,” said Sander Gubbens, Ph.D., CEO of Ionpath. “By working closely together with Thermo Fisher Scientific, we can accelerate our development efforts and continue to deliver best-in-class solutions to our customers. With this investment, Ionpath will continue to scale our organization in service of supporting the increasing demand for both our MIBIscope instruments and our end-to-end Spatial Proteomics Services.”
Ionpath’s MIBI™ (Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging) technology is delivering on the promise of spatial proteomics by providing unprecedented insights for translational medicine researchers. Through highly multiplexed, quantitative protein imaging with high sensitivity and true subcellular resolution down to 350 nm, MIBI technology delivers actionable insights of single cells in their complex tissue microenvironment with the throughput and reproducibility required for clinical studies.
“Spatial proteomics has near-term potential to help produce breakthroughs in cancer diagnostics and in the discovery and development of highly targeted therapies, and Ionpath’s innovation is a driving force,” said Iain Mylchreest, vice president, R&D, analytical instruments, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Our investment is based on the confidence we have in Ionpath’s differentiated approach and how it can accelerate the path from discovery to patient care.”
About Ionpath
Ionpath, Inc., is a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, revolutionizing tissue imaging and analysis to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. Ionpath’s MIBI™ (multiplexed ion beam imaging) platform breaks through the limitations of traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC), enabling a deeper understanding of the tissue microenvironment with highly multiplexed, quantitative single-cell analysis. With MIBI technology and the expertise of world-class pathology and data science teams, Ionpath provides actionable insights for translational and clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research organizations in immuno-oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and infectious disease research.
Media Contact
Colin Sanford
colin@bioscribe.com
WEHI News Release: ACRF Grant Boosts Cancer Research Capability<span class='news-meta'>Mar 15 2022</span>
AS REPORTED BY WEHI, Melbourne Australia | March 15, 2022
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne, Australia has received a $3.5 million grant from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) to create a multidisciplinary cancer research team that will focus on improving patient treatment options and investigating the cause of drug resistance.
The grant will support the new ACRF Program for Resolving Cancer Complexity and Therapeutic Resistance at WEHI, that will see a team of cancer experts specialising in blood, breast, lung, ovarian, pancreatic and skin cancers collaborating to better understand cancer complexity and treatment resistance at a single-cell level.
The grant has also enabled WEHI to purchase cutting-edge equipment that will be housed in its purpose-built imaging and genomics facilities. This includes a MIBIscope – one of the first in Australia. Unlike traditional microscopes that use laser technology, the MIBIscope uses an ion beam to constantly take high quality images of cells, or whole tissue sections. This revolutionary imaging platform will allow researchers to accelerate their single-cell research in exquisite molecular detail.
At a glance
- WEHI has established a new cancer program that will work towards improving treatment options for cancer patients and understanding why some people form drug resistance to these therapies.
- The new ACRF Program for Resolving Cancer Complexity and Therapeutic Resistance is the result of a $3.5M ACRF grant and will involve a team of cancer experts who specialise in a range of cancers working together to understand the key barriers facing current cancer treatments at a single-cell level.
- The grant has enabled WEHI to purchase one of Australia’s first MIBIscope machines that can rapidly capture high-resolution imaging needed for this single-cell research in unprecedented molecular detail.
Cell Publication Highlights Ionpath MIBI Spatial Proteomics Technology in Foundational Study Predicting Breast Cancer Progression<span class='news-meta'>Jan 20 2022</span>
Innovative study deployed multiplexed ion beam imaging (MIBI™) technology revealing a high-multiplex spatial proteomic signature as a predictive biomarker for breast cancer treatment
MENLO PARK, Calif., January 20, 2022 — Ionpath, Inc., the leader in high-definition spatial proteomics, today announced that a peer-reviewed research study led by scientists at Stanford University, Washington University, Duke University, and Arizona State University, has been published in the journal Cell. The study, which focused on investigating potential indicators in the progression of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) into invasive breast cancer (IBC), discovered a highly predictive high-multiplex spatial proteomic signature (greater than 20 markers) that may pave the way for future development of new targeted therapies and prognostic tests.
“This is an important study that for the first time offers a spatial atlas of preinvasive breast cancer that illustrates how tissue structure and function change with progression to invasive disease,” said senior author Mike Angelo, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology at Stanford University and co-founder of Ionpath. “Being able to image dozens of proteins at subcellular resolution was essential for being able to identify what aspects of the tumor microenvironment were predictive of clinical outcome. We are optimistic that this work will further the development of high dimensional imaging tools that can be used to guide clinical care for more than 60,000 women diagnosed with DCIS each year in the U.S. alone.”
DCIS is diagnosed based on the specific organization of tumor, stromal, and myoepithelial cells. In this study, the research team deployed Ionpath’s MIBI spatial proteomics technology to resolve precise cell locations, compositions, and functions using 37 proteins of interest. With this approach, they characterized 79 archival samples from normal breast, DCIS, or IBC. Then they implemented machine learning tools to identify and map 16 different cell populations and their varied spatial parameters across the samples. Overall, they measured more than 400 features in each sample and incorporated these into a classifier to determine which ones could be clearly linked to decease progression patterns.
“This study is a powerful demonstration of how spatial proteomics enabled by Ionpath’s MIBI technology can illuminate high-definition details of the tumor microenvironment and pave the way for the development of new high-multiplex spatial signatures that can be used to develop new diagnostic tests and therapies that deliver on the promise of precision medicine,” said Sander Gubbens, CEO at Ionpath. “Ionpath is honored to have played a role in this foundational study and congratulates the entire research team on their work to improve outcomes for women with breast cancer.”
The cover article was published in the January 20, 2022 issue of Cell (Volume 185, Issue 2) and is titled “Transition to invasive breast cancer is associated with progressive changes in the structure and composition of tumor stroma”. The full article can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.023.
About Ionpath
Ionpath, Inc., is a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, revolutionizing tissue imaging and analysis to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. Ionpath’s MIBI™ (multiplexed ion beam imaging) platform breaks through the limitations of traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC), enabling a deeper understanding of the tissue microenvironment with highly multiplexed, quantitative single-cell analysis. With MIBI technology and the expertise of world-class pathology and data science teams, Ionpath provides actionable insights for translational and clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research organizations in immuno-oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and infectious disease research. For more information, visit ionpath.com.
Media Contact
Colin Sanford
colin@bioscribe.com
Ionpath Expands Biopharmaceutical Partnerships Program to Rapidly Deliver Novel Insights Utilizing the Company’s High-Definition Spatial Proteomics Platform<span class='news-meta'>Aug 26 2021</span>
New Spatial Proteomics Pilot Program provides streamlined path to high-definition spatial analysis of the tissue microenvironment
MENLO PARK, Calif., August 26, 2021 — Ionpath, Inc., the leader in high-definition spatial proteomics, today announced a new program for biopharmaceutical research organizations interested in piloting spatial phenotyping analyses of tissue samples leveraging the company’s Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI™) technology. Through this new program, customers can benefit from in-depth immune profiling and spatial analysis performed with the company’s 30-marker Checkpoint Panel on its MIBIscope™ System.
The MIBIscope platform provides a high-resolution view into the dynamics of proteins in their native tissue environment and architecture. The resulting actionable data allows researchers to not only explore the spatial relationships between a tumor and infiltrating immune cells but to also classify cells and perform the quantitative analysis of checkpoint expression that is critical to advancing immune system-based therapy development.
“Since launching our Spatial Proteomic Services last year, we’ve seen tremendous interest in the program with more than 400% growth and significant repeat business from biopharma R&D teams who experience the unmatched impact that MIBI data brings to their prospective trial programs,” said Dr. Sander Gubbens, CEO at Ionpath. “With this new pilot program, any biopharmaceutical company can quickly access high-definition spatial proteomic data and insights from our expert team that demonstrates the power MIBI data brings to their translational research.”
Customer tissue samples are stained with metal-tagged antibodies using a workflow similar to the gold standard IHC. The samples are then analyzed with the MIBIscope, where an ion beam liberates the metal tags that are then detected with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer – delivering fast acquisition with extraordinary resolution and sensitivity. The sample is not destroyed during imaging and can be stored for follow-on studies or utilized for additional analyses.
“MIBI truly is a game changer, unencumbered by the deficiencies of fluorescent technologies,” added Gubbens. “With our pilot program, new organizations will be able to see what they have been missing with other technologies and experience why our customers are expanding their use of MIBI – spanning from pre-clinical discovery to clinical trial sample analysis.”
The Spatial Proteomics Pilot Program uses Ionpath’s 30-marker Checkpoint Panel which provides classification of 26 cell populations and expression information for all cell types. Ionpath’s expert team of pathologists, immunologists and bioinformaticians deliver actionable insights including cell classification, quantitative analysis of checkpoint expression, spatial information, and comparative cohort analysis.
For more information about the Spatial Proteomics Pilot Program, please visit: ionpath.com/pilot-program.
About Ionpath
Ionpath, Inc., is a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, revolutionizing tissue imaging and analysis to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. Ionpath’s MIBI™ (multiplexed ion beam imaging) platform breaks through the limitations of traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC), enabling a deeper understanding of the tissue microenvironment with highly multiplexed, quantitative single-cell analysis. With MIBI technology and the expertise of world-class pathology and data science teams, Ionpath provides actionable insights for translational and clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research organizations in immuno-oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and infectious disease research. For more information, visit ionpath.com.
Media Contact
Colin Sanford
colin@bioscribe.com
Ionpath Closes $18 Million Series B Financing to Advance Precision Medicine<span class='news-meta'>Sep 24 2020</span>
Proceeds will be used for the further development and deployment of Ionpath’s revolutionary MIBI technology, affirming its leadership in high-definition spatial proteomics
MENLO PARK, Calif., September 24, 2020 — Ionpath, Inc., the leader in high-definition spatial proteomics, today announced the close of a $18 million Series B financing led by Samsara BioCapital, and included participation from new investor Bruker Corporation, a global leader in mass spectrometry. All existing major investors contributed to the round including Genoa Ventures, ND Capital, Paladin Partners Investments, Trancos Ionpath Investors, Norwich Ventures, and Vertical Venture Partners Growth Fund.
“Developed by pathologists for translational researchers, Ionpath’s MIBI platform delivers a revolutionary way to visualize phenotypic profiles, enabling rich, sensitive spatial analysis of tissue microenvironments,” said Mike Dybbs, Partner at Samsara BioCapital and Ionpath Board member. “We are excited to support Ionpath in its mission to advance precision medicine and we are proud to partner with Bruker and all the company’s investors on this financing.”
Ionpath’s MIBI™ (Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging) technology is delivering on the promise of spatial proteomics by providing unprecedented insights for translational medicine researchers. Through highly multiplexed, quantitative protein imaging with unmatched sensitivity and true subcellular resolution down to 280 nm, only MIBI technology delivers actionable insights of single cells in their complex tissue microenvironment with the throughput and reproducibility required for clinical studies.
“Bruker is honored to support Ionpath in the further development and commercialization of its MIBI technology, which is helping researchers solve some of the most complex problems in solid tumor oncology,” said Dr. Rohan Thakur, Executive Vice President, Bruker Corporation. “We believe the synergies between label-free MALDI imaging for endogenous metabolites, lipids, and glycans, coupled to MIBI multiplexed sub-cellular protein imaging, will accelerate adoption of mass spectrometry approaches for pathology.”
“We are seeing strong traction for our MIBI technology, both in our MIBIscope instrument and our end-to-end Research Services business. We are more convinced than ever that MIBI-enabled, high-definition spatial proteomics will be a key enabler for the deployment of precision medicine in the treatment of a wide range of diseases,” said Sander Gubbens, PhD, CEO of Ionpath. “We are grateful for the continued support of our investors and are honored to welcome Bruker as a new investor as we expand the availability of our MIBI technology and Research Services globally.”
About Ionpath, Inc. and Ionpath Research Services
Ionpath, Inc., is a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, revolutionizing tissue imaging and analysis to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. Ionpath’s MIBI™ (multiplexed ion beam imaging) platform breaks through the limitations of traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC), enabling a deeper understanding of the tissue microenvironment with highly multiplexed, quantitative single-cell analysis. With MIBI technology and the expertise of world-class pathology and data science teams, Ionpath provides actionable insights to translational and clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research organizations in immuno-oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and infectious disease research.
Media Contact
Colin Sanford
colin@bioscribe.com
203-918-4347
or
media@ionpath.com
Ionpath Appoints Sander Gubbens, PhD, as Chief Executive Officer<span class='news-meta'>Aug 20 2020</span>
Accomplished executive and scientist will lead company into next phase of commercial growth
MENLO PARK, Calif., August 20, 2020 — Ionpath, Inc., the leader in high-definition spatial proteomics, today announced the appointment of Sander Gubbens, PhD, as its new CEO. Dr. Gubbens was most recently President of Gatan, which revolutionized the field of cryoEM with the breakthrough K2 electron counting camera under his leadership, ultimately leading to Gatan’s recent acquisition by Ametek from Roper Technologies for $925M. He replaces Harris Fienberg, PhD, company co-founder and former CEO.
“Sander is a very accomplished, well-rounded operational leader with a track record of opening up new market opportunities in life science research by developing transformational technologies in collaboration with academic and industrial customers and partners,” said Ionpath Board member Mike Dybbs of Samsara Biocapital. “Under Sander’s leadership, Gatan transitioned from an R&D company to a market-driven company known for its high-quality products and industry-leading technology. We are thrilled to give him a similar opportunity at Ionpath. We also want to thank Harris Fienberg for his leadership over the last six years building the company and helping drive the adoption of Ionpath’s MIBI technology by leading cancer research centers around the world.”
Dr. Gubbens brings over 30 years of experience in developing and commercializing best-in-class technologies for life science, materials science, and semiconductors to Ionpath. As president of Gatan, he developed the organization into the leading manufacturer of instrumentation and software used to enhance and extend the operation and performance of electron microscopes, a position he held for over six years after earlier roles as COO, General Manager, and Senior VP of R&D and Engineering. Prior to Gatan, he worked in senior engineering and R&D roles at KLA-Tencor, the leading manufacturer of process control solutions for the semiconductor industry. Dr. Gubbens holds 17 patents and is a board member at Combinati, a maker of digital PCR instrumentation. He earned his PhD in Applied Physics from the Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands and an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.
“I am thrilled to join Ionpath as it executes on its vision of delivering actionable spatial proteomic insights from tissue samples and continues to drive demand for its revolutionary products and services in immuno-oncology and adjacent markets,” said Dr. Gubbens. “Ionpath’s unmatched technical capabilities in spatial proteomics paired with our team of pathologists and data scientists position us as the leader of this exciting and expanding field in medical discovery.”
Ionpath’s MIBI™ (Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging) technology is delivering on the promise of spatial proteomics providing novel insights for translational medicine researchers. By enabling sensitive detection and quantification of the expression of multiple biomarkers while retaining spatial relationships, MIBI delivers the information needed to understand the tissue microenvironment with the throughput and reproducibility required for clinical studies.
About Ionpath, Inc. and Ionpath Research Services
Ionpath, Inc. is a pioneer in high-definition spatial proteomics, revolutionizing tissue imaging and analysis to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. Ionpath’s MIBI™ (multiplexed ion beam imaging) Platform breaks through the limitations of traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC), enabling a deeper understanding of the tissue microenvironment with highly multiplexed quantitative single-cell analysis. With MIBI technology and the expertise of world-class pathology and data science teams, Ionpath provides actionable insights to translational and clinical researchers at leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research organizations in immuno-oncology, immunology, neuroscience and infectious disease research.
Media Contact
Colin Sanford
colin@bioscribe.com
203-918-4347
or
media@ionpath.com
Groundbreaking Stanford Skin Cancer Study Uses Multi-Omics Approach Including Ionpath High Definition Spatial Proteomics <span class='news-meta'>Jul 23 2020</span>
MENLO PARK, Calif., July 23, 2020 — Specialized cells at the edge of growing skin cancers reduce immune response, Stanford researchers have reported in Cell. The study, available in print today, combined several techniques to analyze and precisely map the tumor microenvironment of squamous cell carcinoma (a common skin cancer) with single-cell level detail.
The team of Stanford researchers, led by Paul Khavari, MD, PhD, professor and chair of dermatology and the Carl J. Herzog Professor in Dermatology in the School of Medicine, combined single-cell resolution Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI™) with spatial transcriptomics and RNA sequencing to analyze a series of human cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma samples, along with matched normal skin. The aim was to understand the spatial context of tumor biology and identify cell types that drive drug resistance.
“We wanted to obtain a high-resolution view of the tumor microenvironment through a multi-pronged approach. Until our study, we had no idea how diverse of a cellular composition was present within this disease,” explains Andrew Ji, MD, Clinician, Post Doctoral Fellow at Stanford Medical School and co-lead author. “We leveraged single-cell RNA-sequencing to define the cell types present, but this required dissociating the samples, thereby losing their spatial and biological context. Without this critical piece of the puzzle, we cannot understand how these cells could potentially influence their surrounding neighbors.”
Ionpath’s high definition spatial proteomics platform, MIBI, provides quantitative protein expression on a single cell basis, with spatial content. This provides researchers with the ability to see not only what cells and biomarkers are present, but also where they are located in relation to each other.
“The high-throughput ability to define diverse cell types through single-cell RNA-sequencing has highlighted challenges with traditional imaging and staining methods,” says Sizun Jiang, PhD, co-lead author and Post Doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine. “Ionpath’s next-generation MIBI platform enabled us to obtain a breadth of markers simultaneously and at single-cell resolution to place these diverse cells in their native context and understand what behaviors they may be engaging in. We hope that this leads to not only an improved understanding of tumor biology, but a new framework for profiling and understanding other human diseases.”
The researchers are now using this multi-omics approach to investigate cancer types beyond squamous cell carcinomas to provide novel insights and guide new cancer therapies that activate the immune system and use it in the fight against cancer.
About Ionpath, Inc.
Ionpath, Inc. is delivering on the promise of spatial proteomics to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. The company’s MIBIscope™ System utilizes Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI™) technology which represents a transformative step in tissue imaging by simultaneously multiplexing up to 40 markers with specificity down to a single cell. Leading research institutes, biotech and pharmaceutical companies are using the MIBIscope in immuno-oncology, immunology and neuroscience research where quantitative multiplexed phenotypic mapping is needed. In addition to the MIBIscope™ System enhanced with MIBItracker™, Ionpath empowers the research and development initiatives of academic, biotech and pharmaceutical partners through its comprehensive Research Services division.
Media Contact
media@ionpath.com
Ionpath appoints Brad Nelson to its leadership team as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Strategy<span class='news-meta'>Jun 17 2020</span>
Rapid growth in immuno-oncology and adjacent markets requires approaches that can sensitively detect and quantify the expression of multiple biomarkers while preserving spatial information. Ionpath is uniquely capable of addressing these market needs and is positioned for rapid commercial growth both with their MIBIScope™ instrument and their comprehensive Research Services offering. Mr. Nelson will provide commercial leadership as Ionpath meets this increasing demand from pharma, biotech and academic customers.
“Brad brings a unique combination of broad marketing and corporate development experience and a deep technical background,” Dr. Harris Fienberg, Ionpath CEO said. “Our entire team is excited to have Brad on board to guide our immuno-oncology strategy and expand our offerings into new markets.”
Mr. Nelson has over twenty years of experience in leading rapid growth life science and medical device organizations. He has a track record of success at early stage companies bringing new technology and applications to market, driving rapid growth from product inception to broad scale adoption. Most recently he served as Vice President of Marketing at Magnolia Medical Technologies leading the brand and product portfolio development for the company’s Steripath technology which experienced rapid adoption and over 70 percent annual revenue growth.
Prior to Magnolia Medical, Mr. Nelson served as Head of Marketing and Director of Corporate Development at Labcyte Inc., leading the development of new global markets and collaborations that delivered sustained revenue growth and the acquisition by Danaher Corporation. Previously he led the marketing organization at Velocity11 Inc., building a highly differentiated brand and robotics product portfolio that led to industry leading growth and the acquisition by Agilent Technologies.
“I am thrilled to join the world class team at Ionpath,” Nelson said. “Ionpath has the rare combination of groundbreaking technology backed by a team of scientists and engineers that can turn data into insights. Working closely with our pharmaceutical, biotech and academic partners we will deliver on the promise of precision medicine for oncology, immunology, neuroscience and infectious disease markets enabling new discoveries that improve patient care.”
About Ionpath, Inc. and Ionpath Research Services
Ionpath, Inc. is revolutionizing tissue imaging to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. The company’s MIBIscope™ System utilizes Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI™) technology, developed at Stanford University, and represents a transformative step in tissue imaging by simultaneously multiplexing up to 40 markers with specificity down to a single cell. Leading research institutes, biotech and pharmaceutical companies are using the MIBIscope in immuno-oncology, immunology and neuroscience research where high-fidelity multiplexed imaging data is needed. In addition to the MIBIscope™ System enhanced with MIBItracker™, Ionpath empowers the research and development initiatives of academic, biotech and pharmaceutical partners through its comprehensive Research Services division.
Media Contact
media@ionpath.com
Ionpath Launches Research Services Offering Multiplexed Tissue Analysis to Empower Pharmaceutical Discovery and Development Programs<span class="news-meta">Feb 11 2020</span>
Menlo Park, Calif., February 11, 2020 – Ionpath, Inc., today announces the launch of a dedicated service business providing access to their proprietary MIBIscope™ multiplexed imaging platform and its team of experts to support pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies working in immuno-oncology.
Ionpath has previously provided custom research services to leading academic and pharmaceutical organizations as part of an Early Access Program. Now the company has formalized its intentions to become a partner of choice to those interrogating the tumor microenvironment to understand therapeutic mechanism of action and identify responder populations.
“We started this company because we love doing great science and working with great scientists,” said Harris Fienberg, chief executive officer and co-founder, Ionpath. “Our team is incredibly excited to enable the next generation of immunotherapy development on a massive scale.”
Based in their global headquarters in Silicon Valley and serving clients from around the world, an expert team of engineers, pathologists and data scientists are leveraging the proprietary MIBIscope platform to help solve the most complex problems in immuno-oncology. The MIBIscope™ can simultaneously image forty or more individual proteins on a single slide with the reproducibility needed for large clinical studies. Ionpath is building the capacity to stain, image and analyze over 15,000 highly multiplexed slides a year by the end of 2020. The company hopes to unlock valuable data about co-expression levels, proximity of cell populations and correlations to outcomes observed in patients to meaningfully contribute to the development of immunotherapies for partners across industry and academia.
If you or your company would be interested in learning more about what Research Services can do for your program, please contact us at research@ionpath.com to talk to our expert team or request a quote.
About Ionpath, Inc.
Ionpath, Inc. is revolutionizing tissue imaging to accelerate medical discovery and improve human health. The company’s MIBIscope™ System, which utilizes Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI™) technology, represents a transformative step in tissue imaging by simultaneously multiplexing 40+ markers with single cell resolution. Leading research institutes and biotech and pharmaceutical companies are using the MIBIscope in immuno-oncology, immunology and neuroscience research where high-fidelity multiplexed imaging data is needed. In addition to the MIBIscope System Ionpath empowers the research and development initiatives of academic, biotech and pharmaceutical partners through Ionpath Research Services.
Media Contact
media@ionpath.com
Ionpath Announces Commercial Launch of MIBIscope™—the First Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging System<span class="news-meta">Nov 5 2019</span>
MIBIscope allows researchers to visualize over 40 biomarkers simultaneously with high resolution, sensitivity, and throughput, and is compatible with standard tissue processing techniques
Menlo Park, Calif., November 5, 2019 – Ionpath, Inc., a company revolutionizing multiplexed tissue imaging, launched the MIBIscope™ System, the first commercially available Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI™) system. The MIBIscope enables researchers to image over 40 biomarkers simultaneously at higher sensitivity, resolution, and throughput than existing methods. Ionpath is showcasing the platform at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting in Maryland from November 6-10.
To help scientists see deeper into the tissue microenvironment and study the relationships between proteins, cells and their environment in intact tissue samples, Ionpath has leveraged secondary ion mass spectrometry and elementally labeled antibodies to create MIBI™ technology. This method enables higher throughput than existing multiplexed imaging technologies, such as mass cytometry, and is far more sensitive, permitting single-molecule detection. The MIBIscope can image cellular structures as small as 280 nm and visualize over 40 biomarkers simultaneously with a dynamic range of five orders of magnitude.
“Scientists in oncology and translational research will benefit from the unprecedented insights into spatial relationships within the tissue microenvironment by imaging and characterizing tissue samples at subcellular resolution,” said Harris Fienberg, chief executive officer and co-founder, Ionpath. “After successfully piloting the MIBIscope in leading research and biopharma institutions, we are excited to bring the platform to market.”
The MIBIscope System removes only a thin layer of sample during imaging, thus permitting scientists to perform multiple scans on a single sample. Further, by scanning at different levels of depth, researchers can study tissue architecture in three dimensions. The MIBIscope System can be automated to image tissue samples continuously for multiple days, allowing researchers to process hundreds of samples a week and conduct broad cohort studies.
The simple staining process employs a standard immunohistochemistry workflow and is compatible with both FFPE and fresh/frozen tissue. Furthermore, samples are stable for months following staining.
To learn about the MIBIscope, visit Ionpath at SITC booth #326, or attend the company’s symposium on Saturday, November 9 at 12:35 pm in Riverview Ballroom A3, where leading researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Stanford University, and University of Colorado, Denver, will be presenting their research using the MIBIscope to characterize the tumor microenvironment. More information about Ionpath’s activities at SITC can be found at https://ionpath.com/sitc-symposium/. Information about the MIBIscope System can be found at https://ionpath.com/mibiscope/.
About Ionpath
Ionpath, Inc. is revolutionizing tissue imaging to accelerate discovery for improving human health. The company’s MIBIscope™ System utilizes Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI™) technology, developed at Stanford University, and represents a transformative step forward in molecular pathology. Leading biopharma and biomedical research institutes have been piloting MIBIscope in immuno-oncology, immunology and neuroscience research. MIBIscope is a highly multiplexed imaging platform with unmatched resolution, sensitivity, and throughput—enabling researchers to gain new insights into cellular structure and morphology within tissue.
*For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
Media Contact
media@ionpath.com
Press Release: Ionpath and Indica Labs establish a co-marketing agreement to promote spatially resolved analysis of tissues imaged with the Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI) System<span class="news-meta">Apr 26 2019</span>
USA 04/26/2019 – Indica Labs and Ionpath announced today that a co-marketing agreement has been established to jointly promote their respective technologies for tissue-based, multiplexed biomarker research.
Ionpath’s MIBIscope platform uses secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to image antibodies tagged with monoisotopic metal reporters, permitting simultaneous visualization of 40+ markers in any tissue type, including FFPE, with unmatched resolution and sensitivity.
“With capacity to measure dozens of proteins with sub-cellular resolution, the MIBIscope platform provides scientists with new insights in understanding cell populations and interactions within the tumor microenvironment” said Harris Fienberg, CEO of Ionpath. “We are committed to enable a streamlined workflow from visualization to quantitative data analysis and a partnership with Indica Labs will facilitate our users to integrate HALO with MIBI data for analyses such as cell segmentation and classification,” said Harris Fienberg, CEO of Ionpath.
Indica Labs provides image analysis and image management solutions for digital pathology, including HALO, HALO AI and HALO Link. The HALO platform can analyze an unlimited number of fluorescent biomarkers within the spatial context of the tissue, making it an ideal image analysis solution for immuno-oncology and a natural complement to the multiplexed imaging capabilities provided by the MIBIscope system.
“There is a growing need amongst our customer base for technologies that can facilitate higher multiplexing, especially in the immuno-oncology research area,” said Dr. Kate Lillard Tunstall, CSO of Indica Labs. “Together, the MIBI technology and HALO platform provide a complete end-to-end solution for multiplexing. We are excited to work with Ionpath to address the needs of our mutual customers.”
About Indica Labs, Inc.
Indica Labs software solutions provide fast, quantitative evaluation of whole slide tissues using HALO and HALO AI for image analysis and HALO Link to manage images, data, and facilitate collaboration. With unmatched ease-of-use and scalability, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and research organizations worldwide are using HALO for high-throughput, whole-slide image quantification in areas such as oncology, immuno-oncology, neuroscience, ophthalmology, metabolism, respiratory, and toxicological pathology. For more information, please visit https://indicalab.com or contact info@indicalab.com
About Ionpath
Ionpath™ is a venture-backed, commercial-stage company, founded by Stanford researchers out of the lab of Dr. Garry Nolan, focused on revolutionizing pathology with Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI) technology. MIBI is a multiplexed imaging platform with unmatched resolution, sensitivity, and throughput. Ionpath is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA.
For more information, please visit ionpath.com or contact marketing@ionpath.com
Press Release: Journal Cell Features New Immunohistochemistry Imaging Technology from Ionpath that Images 40+ Proteins on a Single Slide<span class="news-meta">Sep 16 2018</span>
Menlo Park, California, Sept. 6th, 2018 — IonpathTM, a venture-backed commercial-stage pathology startup, today announced that a paper detailing the performance of its new Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (
The study leveraged Ionpath’s MIBIscopeTM instrument to define tumor and immune cell spatial compositions leading to a discovery of a cell signature that predicts therapeutic response for triple-negative breast cancer.
REVOLUTIONIZING TISSUE BIOPSY ANALYSIS
MIBI technology was invented in Prof. Garry Nolan’s lab and developed by Drs. Sean Bendall and Mike Angelo in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University. MIBI uses secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), a type of mass spectrometry traditionally used in the semiconductor industry, to image antibodies tagged with monoisotopic metal reporters, permitting 40+ proteins to be simultaneously measured.
The Ionpath MIBIscope platform, coupled with pathologist-validated reagents and downstream image analytics, will enable pathologists and scientists to better understand the complexities of the tissue microenvironment by delivering subcellular resolution, spatial and structural information than previously possible.
The MIBIscope is currently being piloted by top research institutes and
In addition, the MIBIscope has been selected as the only highly multiplexed IHC imaging platform for the National Cancer Institutes (NCI) Cancer Immune Monitoring and Analysis Center (CIMAC).
“For the first time, scientists will be able to simultaneously visualize many markers (with 40 plus channels available) on a single FFPE tissue slide with high sensitivity and resolution empowering unique discovery in immuno-oncology research,” said Harris Fienberg, Ionpath’s CEO.
STUDY RESULTS
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known to be an aggressive and invasive form and represents about 15-20% of all breast cancers. It is generally diagnosed based on the lack of expression of three “receptors” known to fuel most breast cancer tumors: estrogen, progesterone, and HER2‐neu.
While it is known the immune system plays a critical role in cancer progression, getting a comprehensive view of the tumor-immune microenvironment is difficult using current technology. Challenges include autofluorescence, poor resolution resulting in incomplete spatial and contextual information for understanding protein expression within cells in FFPE Tissue.
In this study, Stanford scientists used MIBI technology to comprehensively profile the tumor microenvironment of 41 triple-negative breast cancer patients by simultaneously imaging 36 proteins at a subcellular resolution in diagnostic surgical pathology samples.
By using a multi-step analysis, including cell segmentation, single cell analysis and spatial analysis, the authors revealed how tumor expression and immune composition are interrelated within tissue context, that correlates with overall survival in TNBC. The authors showed how a multiplexed imaging approach can be used to stratify patient populations and identify a unique patient population that will respond to therapy.
“The work by Keren et al highlights the value of characterizing the intact tumor microenvironment with a comprehensive antibody panel and defining meaningful spatial relationships between tumor and infiltrating immune cells. The approach, MIBI-TOF, will be invaluable for analyzing potential mechanisms of immune evasion and responses to immunotherapy in multiple cancers”, said Dr. Margaret Shipp, Professor of Medicine and Director Lymphoma Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
The MIBI images collected are shared online and can be downloaded through a web-interface MIBItracker software available on the Ionpath company website.
OTHER APPLICATIONS
MIBI is also currently being used to enable a variety of other applications including applications in neuroscience, where it is ideal for analyzing co-expression of dozens of proteins in brain biopsies (which are problematic for fluorescent-based technology) and autoimmunity where MIBI permits comprehensive analysis of the immune cells involved in the tissue-immune system interface. Additionally, further work is currently underway to identify biomarkers and stratify patients populations in clinical trials using MIBI.
ABOUT: Ionpath™ is a venture-backed, commercial-stage company, founded by Stanford researchers out of the lab of Dr. Garry Nolan, focused on revolutionizing pathology with Multiplexed Ion Beam Imaging (MIBI) technology. MIBI is a multiplexed imaging platform with unmatched resolution, sensitivity, and throughput.
GenomeWeb: IONPath Targeting Immuno-oncology, Pathology With Multiplexed Protein Imaging System<span class="news-meta">Sep 18 2018</span>
Based on multiplexed ion beam imaging, the system will compete most directly with Fluidigm’s Hyperion imaging mass cytometry platform and, according to Ionpath CEO Harris Feinberg, could offer higher levels of speed, sensitivity, and resolution than the Fluidigm system.