10x Genomics has acquired Proteintech Genomics for an undisclosed price, the companies said, in a deal driven by the buyer’s commitment to expanding its multiomics presence—in this case, by strategically expanding its proteomics capabilities.
The acquisition is intended to bring together 10x’s expertise in scalable single-cell and spatial biology platforms with Proteintech Genomics’ capabilities in protein detection. Founded in 2022, Proteintech Genomics specializes in life science technologies enabling researchers to apply single-cell and spatial multiomics tools toward discovery. The company develops fully optimized and highly multiplexed proteomic assays designed for ready integration into various single-cell and spatial analysis application workflows.
By helping researchers harmonize RNA and protein analysis, Proteintech Genomics has positioned itself as an alternative to the multiple vendors and their workflows traditionally needed to accomplish both analyses, as researchers increasingly combine transcriptomic- and proteomics-based data to gain complementary insights into cellular identity, state, and function.
“Proteintech Genomics strengthens our capabilities in one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving areas of biology: proteomics,” Michael Schnall-Levin, 10x’s CTO, chief strategy officer, and founding scientist, told GEN. “While transcriptomic technologies have advanced tremendously over the last decade, we believe there is still significant opportunity to push protein-based analysis much further, particularly in combination with RNA and other analytes.”
“We believe the future of biological analysis will increasingly integrate single-cell, proteomic, and spatial information,” Schnall-Levin added. “This acquisition reflects our conviction that proteomics will be an important part of that future and expands our ability to support richer multiomic workflows across our portfolio.”
Among Proteintech Genomics’ technologies is its Human Discovery Panel, which, according to the company, is the largest antibody-based single-cell protein panel. The panel allows researchers to simultaneously profile 347 DNA-barcoded antibodies covering 325 distinct protein targets, alongside transcriptomic measurements.
“Significant opportunities”
“We see significant opportunities to continue expanding both plex and content over time. One of the exciting aspects of bringing Proteintech Genomics into 10x is the ability to invest more deeply in future proteomic innovation,” Schnall-Levin explained. “While we aren’t announcing specific products today, directionally we’re interested in enabling higher-plex measurements, broader biological content, and more accessible workflows. Those are all areas where we see substantial opportunity going forward.”
The Human Discovery Panel is also designed to support integrated analysis of intracellular proteins, cell surface proteins, and transcriptomic profiles within sequencing-compatible workflows. The panel is compatible with 10x’s Flex chemistry, including the Flex Apex assay, the company’s fastest-growing single-cell assay.
“Proteintech Genomics brings innovative protein detection technologies, including the Human Discovery Panel, as well as deep expertise in protein biology, antibody panel development, and assay design. Together, we believe we can move faster, pursue more ambitious product development efforts, and make high-quality multiomic workflows more accessible and scalable for researchers,” Schnall-Levin said.
He said one attraction to 10x of combining with Proteintech Genomics was the combination it offered to 10x of technical performance and ecosystem fit: “Proteintech Genomics has been a longtime 10x partner, and its products were purpose-built to work with 10x workflows. Our customers are already using these technologies together today, which gives us a strong foundation to innovate more quickly and bring even more powerful multiomic capabilities to the field.”
Through its acquisition of Proteintech Genomics, 10x aims to achieve its vision of enabling multimodal biological analysis across its single-cell and spatial platforms—including protein capabilities planned for the Atera spatial platform, unveiled during the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) conference.
Atera can run up to 800 1 cm2 whole transcriptome samples (FFPE and fresh frozen) per year, with flexible run configurations, and a greater than 5 cm² imageable area per slide (for greater than 2,000 mm² total tissue per run when using all four slides). The Atera WTA (Whole Transcriptome Analysis) panel targets more than 18,000 genes, with stackable customization of 1,000-gene Atera Select panels available now—and optional stacking of up to three 1,000-gene panels coming in the future.
“We’ve already spoken publicly about future protein capabilities planned for Atera, and this acquisition strengthens our ability to deliver on that vision while continuing to advance integrated approaches across both our single-cell and spatial platforms, Schnall-Levin said.
Higher-plex proteomics challenge
10x’s interest in higher-plex proteomics makes sense since it is the fastest-growing submarket in the $11 billion core proteomic space, set to grow by double digits, according to Leerink Partners. But a Leerink analyst cautioned that the company will find it challenging to grow in the space as it absorbs costs associated with Atera and Flex Apex.
“TXG leveraging itself to higher-plex proteomics is helpful,” Puneet Souda, senior managing director, life science tools and diagnostics, and a senior research analyst with Leerink, wrote in a research note. “We believe the deal accelerates higher-plex proteomics content for Atera, which adds to its long-term value. TXG can also bundle single-cell proteomic kits, which is a small but growing area of single-cell research.”
“Nonetheless, we still expect the digestion of Flex Apex and Atera-driven freezing/impact to weigh on near-term growth, particularly in a challenged academic funding backdrop,” Souda added.
Investors did not appear to share that concern, as 10x shares dipped 0.6% as of 12:21 p.m. ET, to an even $29.00 from $29.18 at Monday’s close. The share fluctuated between $28.93 and $30.87 during Tuesday morning trading.
Ci Chu, senior vice president, AI-enabled discovery for Xaira Therapeutics, said in a statement included within 10x’s announcement that the acquisition reflected the importance of integrating protein biology with single-cell and spatial technologies.
“Biology is bigger than transcriptomics alone,” Chu stated. “Bringing scalable protein measurements into single cell and spatial biology is an important step toward richer, more predictive views of cellular state—and ultimately, virtual cell models that better reflect the complexity of living systems.”
Potential clinical applications
In addition to facilitating expansion in multiomics, the acquisition of Proteintech Genomics could help 10x achieve another longer-term goal, namely, looking beyond its traditional focus on research tools for academic, government, and industry customers, by strengthening its clinical diagnostic offerings.
10x expanded into clinical diagnostics during the J.P. Morgan 44th Annual Healthcare Conference, when the company announced three partnerships with top-tier institutions: Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, both in Boston, as well as the New York-based Cancer Research Institute. 10x also committed to building its own CLIA-certified laboratory within about a year, with the goal of enabling clinical deployment of diagnostics that will come up with such collaborations.
Integrating Proteintech Genomics tools into clinical settings will be a longer-term priority since the company’s offerings are for research use only and not intended for diagnostics procedures.
“Protein measurements are highly relevant to many translational research applications, particularly in areas such as immunology, oncology, and neurology. Researchers in academia and biopharma increasingly want to combine protein and RNA measurements to better understand cellular function, therapeutic response, and disease biology,” Schnall-Levin said. “Longer term, we believe single-cell and spatial proteomics are likely to play a meaningful role in diagnostics.”
10x and Proteintech Genomics did not disclose the price or other financial terms of the acquisition, though 10x said it believes the transaction “will not meaningfully impact its near-term financial outlook.”
10x finished the first quarter with a net loss of $13.47 million, less than half its $34.358 million net loss of Q1 2025, on revenue that shrunk 3% year-over-year, to $150.843 million from $154.883 million in the first three months of last year. The company reported $490.285 million in cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, up 3% from $473.966 million as of December 31, 2025.
Proteintech Genomics is a subsidiary of Proteintech Group, a developer of high-plex proteomic solutions for single-cell and spatial applications; both companies are privately held.
San Diego-based Proteintech Genomics’ workforce consists of what Schnall-Levin described as “a small team of eight people,” including CEO Kristopher Nazor, PhD.
“We’re going to keep that team,” Schnall-Levin declared.
Added Nazor: “From day one, Proteintech Genomics was built around the belief that RNA and protein measurements are most powerful when used together.”
“Because our technologies were designed to integrate with 10x workflows, joining the 10x team feels like a natural next chapter,” Nazor continued. “We are excited about the opportunity to accelerate innovation together and expand access to integrated multiomic approaches for researchers around the world.”
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