The research will explore single cell and spatial profiling for treatment-response biomarkers in bladder cancer and residual disease detection in acute myeloid leukemia.
10x Genomics has entered a multi-project research collaboration with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center to advance the use of single cell and spatial biology technologies in solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.
The initiative marks the first clinical research program by 10x Genomics to expand beyond solid tumors into blood cancers. It is designed to generate scientific evidence supporting the clinical utility of single cell and spatial profiling platforms in oncology diagnostics.
Investigating Bladder Cancer and Therapy Response
The first project under the collaboration focuses on advanced bladder cancer. Researchers will use the 10x Genomics Flex Apex and Xenium platforms, with plans to incorporate the Atera platform, to evaluate tumor tissue samples from patients receiving antibody-drug conjugates, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and other targeted treatments.
The primary objective is to correlate drug target expression and tumor microenvironment characteristics with patient response and clinical outcomes. Through this work, the teams intend to identify biomarkers that may eventually assist oncologists with therapy selection.
“This project will help us better characterize the cellular and molecular responses to cancer treatments. We look forward to seeing how the results of this research could help guide treatment decisions for people with cancer,” says Lawrence Fong, MD, scientific director of the Integrated Immunotherapy Research Center at Fred Hutch, in a release.
Evaluating Residual Disease in Hematologic Malignancies
The second project evaluates residual disease detection in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) using the Flex Apex platform.
Post-treatment surveillance for residual leukemic cells is standard practice in AML management, though current clinical workflows often depend on multiple disconnected testing methods. The collaboration will examine whether single cell analysis can improve upon or expand existing gold-standard testing approaches.
“Across cancer care, we have more effective therapies than ever, and too little insight into which patient will actually benefit from which one,” says Serge Saxonov, co-founder and CEO of 10x Genomics, in a release. “Single cell and spatial biology let us look directly at the biology that drives treatment response, whether it’s in a tumor or in the blood, and we believe that’s the missing foundation for precision oncology. We’re excited to work with Fred Hutch on this research.”
Developing Clinical Reporting Frameworks
Together with a planned CLIA-certified laboratory from 10x Genomics, the collaboration aims to establish the scientific and operational groundwork for diagnostic applications in oncology and autoimmune conditions.
As part of the initiative, Fred Hutch and 10x Genomics plan to develop a clinical reporting framework designed to define how spatial and single cell features can be structured to support treatment planning in clinical settings.
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