Molecular Instruments (MI) is joining forces with Visiopharm to combine artificial intelligence (AI)-driven precision pathology with hybridisation chain reaction (HCR) Pro assays to advance clinical-grade RNA in situ hybridisation (RNA-ISH).
Based in Denmark, Visiopharm is a provider of AI-driven precision pathology software. On the other hand, US-based Molecular Instruments is a developer of HCR imaging technology,
As part of the collaboration, Molecular Instruments’ HCR platform will be combined with Visiopharm’s Oncotopix Discovery software. It will provide researchers with a deep-learning approach to image analysis for RNA-ISH assays.
The partnership integrates Molecular Instruments’ HCR Pro RNA-ISH assay, known for protease-free sample preparation, with Visiopharm’s analysis tools. The integration aims to enhance RNA detection, enabling compatibility with immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF) workflows.
Researchers using Oncotopix Discovery are expected to benefit from improved segmentation and spot counting for chromogenic and fluorescent HCR Pro RNA-ISH. Additionally, co-detection with IHC/IF will support gene expression profiling in complex samples.
Molecular Instruments chief commercial officer Aneesh Acharya said: “Our North Star at MI is to set bioimaging assays to a true ‘clinical-grade’ standard, focusing on performance, robustness, and accessibility.
“Partnering with Visiopharm reflects our shared drive to delivering clinical-grade assays, paired with world-class analysis tools that empower pathologists and support downstream decision-making.”
Visiopharm’s Oncotopix Discovery software allows researchers to explore tissue data and customise analysis for experimental needs. The software improves analysis accuracy for tissue samples and enables users to develop deep-learning-based segmentation algorithms, allowing for quantification of RNA by addressing cellular and nuclear morphology.
Visiopharm commercial strategy deployment senior vice president Regan Baird said: “At Visiopharm, our mission is to empower researchers with advanced tools that deliver unmatched precision in image analysis. “Partnering with Molecular Instruments allows us to elevate the standard of RNA-ISH analysis, integrating our Oncotopix Discovery software with MI’s HCR technology to provide researchers with an unprecedented level of accuracy and efficiency.”
