Leica Biosystems and Navinci Partner to Accelerate Cancer Research Through First-Ever Fully Automated In Situ Proximity Ligation Assays

Leica Biosystems, a global leader in anatomic pathology, and Navinci, a leader in developing innovative solutions for studying protein interactions, announce a strategic collaboration to drive innovation in cancer patient care. This partnership enables automated in situ proximity ligation assays on the BOND RX Fully Automated Research Stainer.

The use of spatial biology in translational research enables scientists to study tumor cells within their micro-environment and better understand cell-to-cell interactions. Navinci’s in situ proximity ligation assay extends the capabilities of traditional immunoassays to highlight protein interactions with high specificity and sensitivity such that the proximity and binding of one protein to another can be readily detected, localized and quantified.

The goal of the collaboration between Navinci and Leica Biosystems is to automate Navinci’s two new assay solutions on the BOND RX advanced staining platform in order to simplify and standardize the assay workflow for all laboratories and researchers. This integration provides researchers with a powerful platform to streamline their exploration of protein interactions involved in the tumor microenvironment and, ultimately, our understanding of cancer biology.

“Leica Biosystems joining forces with Navinci is critical making this powerful technology more widely accessible and available for cancer research,” shared Rob Monroe, Chief Medical Officer at Leica Biosystems. “The combination of our high-quality BOND RX Fully Automated Research Stainer with Navinci’s assay-based solutions empowers researchers to better understand the intricacies of tumor cell interactions, which will ultimately contribute to the identification of new targets for drug development and eventual new therapies for cancer patients.”

As part of this collaboration, Navinci is launching two groundbreaking products:

NaveniBright™ BOND RX HRP and Naveni® PD1/PD-L1 BOND RX. These are the first fully automated in situ proximity ligation assays designed to deliver enhanced reproducibility and throughput.

• NaveniBright BOND RX HRP introduces a new assay, seamlessly integrating chromogenic readout automation on the Leica Biosystems BOND RX platform. Based on Navinci’s advanced Naveni® in situ proximity ligation technology, this in situ kit provides flexibility tailored to customers’ primary antibodies and targets.
• Naveni® PD1/PD-L1 BOND RX addresses a critical need in immuno-oncology by enabling specific detection of PD1/PD-L1 interactions in situ. This capability improves reproducibility and throughput, allowing researchers to study this key immune checkpoint in larger cohorts.

“We are thrilled to partner with the industry-leading Leica Biosystems,” says Robert Gunnarsson, CEO of Navinci. “This collaboration brings together our expertise in accurately studying protein interactions within tissue microenvironments and Leica Biosystems’ renowned automation capabilities. Together, we are providing the scientific community with groundbreaking tools to drive research forward and significantly advance patient care.”

About Navinci

Navinci is a Swedish biotechnology company specializing in innovative solutions for studying proteins, protein-protein interactions, and post-translationally modified proteins in cells and tissues. With a strong focus and legacy in developing in situ proximity ligation assay technology, Navinci has established itself as a center of excellence in the study of protein interplay within spatial biology, with a broad portfolio of products supporting basic, translational and clinical research.

About Leica Biosystems

Leica Biosystems is a cancer diagnostics company and a global leader in workflow solutions. The company offers a comprehensive product range for each step in the pathology process, from sample preparation and staining to imaging and reporting. As the only company to own the full workflow from biopsy to diagnosis, Leica Biosystems is uniquely positioned to break down the barriers between each step. The company’s mission of “Advancing Cancer Diagnostics, Improving Lives” is at the heart of its corporate culture.