HAWK Biosystems have developed an advanced bio-imaging platform, QF Pro® (Quantifying Functions in Proteins). QF-Pro® is a spatial biology technology which precisely maps and quantifies protein functional states within fixed samples such as cell, tissue or PBMC samples such as:
Being a spectroscopic technology, QF-Pro® quantifies protein functional states at an unrivalled specificty and high dynamic range. This allows for the generation of reliable and robust clinical cut off values when working with therapeutic biomarkers. Usng Violet 3.0. the QF-Pro® software, and reagent kits, QF-Pro® can be easily integrated into current laboratory workflows. The technology is flexible and can be applied to any biomarker or pathology.
One notable application of QF-Pro® is in the domain of immuno-oncology, where anti-PD-1/PD-L1 response rates are currently between 14-25% in solid tumour patients. In a study of 188 NSCLC patients, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology 2023, QF-Pro® was used to spatially quantify PD-1/PD-L1 interaction states within patient samples. By quantifying PD-1/PD-L1 engagement, rather than assessing PD-L1 expression levels, we were able to distinguish responders from non-responders in NSCLC, showcasing the ability to triple response rates to these immunotherapies. This technology sets a new standard for deploying anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies in clinical practice, promising improved outcomes and personalised cancer care.