Bruker (BRKR) Unveils New Imaging Tools for Cancer Research

Bruker Corporation BRKR recently unveiled unique and novel technologies for spatial multiomics, single-cell proteomics, and cell-line, tissue and plasma proteomics cancer research. The company demonstrated the new offerings at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2022.

Further, on the heels of Bruker’s recent strategic investment in AmberGen, the company announced a collaboration to apply Ambergen Miralys peptide-code antibody kits for the Bruker timsTOF flex novel MALDI HiPLEX-IHC workflow for targeted protein expression profiling in tissue.

The recent developments are likely to fortify Bruker’s opportunities in proteomics and spatial biology.

Key Innovation at a Glance

Bruker launched a novel MALDI HiPLEX-IHC tissue imaging solution for timsTOF fleX using AmberGen’s HiPLEX-IHC peptide code antibody probes combined with unbiased lipidomics, glycomics and metabolomics tissue imaging.

Additionally, Bruker unveiled the new CellScapeTM instrument for high-precision targeted spatial proteomics (recently launched by Bruker’s Canopy Biosciences division). CellScape is the newest generation ChipCytometryTM instrument which enables high-plex spatial imaging and quantification of protein biomarkers in a wide variety of sample types with single-cell and sub-cellular resolution.

The company also featured their Spatial Immune Profiling kits for the ChipCytometry platform. The Spatial Immune Profiling kit is a quantitative, multiplexed assay for FFPE tissues designed to offer ready-to-use pre-validated antibody reagents for ChipCytometry researchers.

Applications of New Technologies

Researchers can produce highly multiplexed images of target proteins in a wide field of view up to a standard slide by merging Bruker’s comprehensive MALDI imaging workflows with AmberGen’s HiPLEX-IHC peptide-code for protein recognition.

New Canopy CellScape further enhances spatial resolution, offers up to eight times higher throughput and walkaway automation. CellScape is exclusive for quantitative biology with extremely high dynamic range (HDR) imaging to quantify low and high expressing proteins in the same sample, addressing a significant challenge inherent in high-plex imaging.

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Moreover, Spatial Immune Profiling kits allow researchers to skip assay development and shift straight into performing their translational and clinical research assays.

Industry Prospects

Per a report published in Research and Markets, the global spatial OMICS market is expected to see a CAGR of 10.3% by 2028. Factors such as the increasing potential of spatial OMICS as a cancer diagnostic tool, the growing uptake of spatial OMICS in drug discovery and development as well as several technological advancements are fuelling market growth.

Given the market prospects, Bruker’s latest innovation seems well-timed.

Recent Developments

In April 2022, Bruker announced the acquisition of Optimal Industrial Automation and Technologies -- a provider of pharma and biopharma process analytical technology (PAT). The acquisition is intended to strengthen Bruker as a key software and solutions provider for small molecule, biologics and new drug modalities pharma companies.

In the same month, Bruker acquired IonSense Inc. -- the innovator of ambient DART (Direct Analysis in Real Time) ionization technology. This agreement will utilize Bruker’s strong presence and reputation in analytical instrumentation as well as investments in IonSense to bring the latter’s enabling technology to a larger customer base soon.

Price Performance

Shares of the company have lost 10.3% in a year against the industry's rise of 5%.

Zacks Rank and Other Key Picks

Bruker currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are McKesson Corporation MCK, AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. AMN and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. BIO.

McKesson, carrying a Zacks Rank #2, reported third-quarter fiscal 2022 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $6.15, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.38 by 14.3%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

McKesson has a long-term earnings growth rate of 11.8%. MCK has gained 70.5% compared with the industry’s 7.6% growth in the past year.

AMN Healthcare, flaunting a Zacks Rank #1, has a long-term earnings growth rate of 16.2%. AMN Healthcare surpassed earnings estimates in the trailing four quarters, delivering a surprise of 19.5%, on average.

AMN Healthcare has outperformed its industry in the past year. AMN has gained 38.4% versus the 57.7% industry decline.

Bio-Rad reported fourth-quarter 2021 adjusted EPS of $3.21, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11.9%. It currently has a Zacks Rank #2.

Bio-Rad has an earnings yield of 2.3% versus the industry’s negative yield. BIO surpassed earnings estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 66.9%.

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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.