The Precision Oncology Divide 

The ability to identify genomic variants has powered precision oncology, allowing clinicians to connect specific mutations to targeted therapies quickly enough to influence treatment decisions. Technologies such as CGP function as key companion diagnostic assays, sequencing hundreds of cancer-related genes and enabling more precise treatment choices for each patient. Although precision oncology has delivered substantial benefits for many cancer types, some cancers, particularly rarer ones, have seen far less impact from these approaches.

A systematic review of 14 CGP studies involving 35,975 patients showed that CGP-guided treatment improved overall survival and progression-free survival across cancer types, but patients with rare cancers were less likely to receive a genomically matched therapy than those with more common cancers¹. A separate study found stark differences across cancer types in how often CGP results led to an approved or experimental biomarker-linked therapy. Lung cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, saw roughly 20% of patients receive matched treatment, compared to just 2% for pancreatic cancer, the 11^th most common². While pancreatic cancer is not classified as a rare cancer, this finding highlights a gap in therapeutic benefit between cancer types and underscores how the limited maturity of targeted therapies for pancreatic tumors remains a barrier to more personalized care.

Why Rare Cancers Fall Further Behind

Despite this documented benefit, only around 8% of patients currently receive CGP‑guided biomarker-linked therapy, indicating that broader CGP access is needed not only to narrow the rare cancer treatment gap but also to improve outcomes across cancer types more generally. A systematic review of 14 CGP studies found that 40-94% of patients had at least one clinically actionable alteration identified by CGP¹, highlighting that barriers beyond test access, such as therapy availability, interpretation, and workflow, also drive the disconnect between genomic insights and real-world treatment.

Increased CGP testing alone is not enough to close the gap between genomic results and real-world treatment. Most CGP reports do not explicitly rank or prioritize which targetable mutations have the strongest clinical evidence. In the absence of standardized frameworks, different clinicians may interpret the same findings differently, meaning some patients may never be offered a potentially effective targeted therapy. Compounding this, there is still no uniform guidance on which tumor types should routinely receive CGP, so decisions about whether to test are often left to individual clinical teams, introducing further inconsistency. When CGP is performed, clinicians must often manually judge which alterations are truly actionable, adding workload to already stretched teams and increasing the risk that a clinically meaningful, possibly life‑changing mutation is missed simply due to limited time and resources.

Closing the Gap

Closing the rare cancer treatment gap will require more than simply ordering CGP more often. It will require changes in how results are interpreted, acted on, and shared across systems.

Molecular Tumor Boards

A minority of CGP studies make use of the insights of a molecular tumor board (MTB), a multidisciplinary panel of oncologists, geneticists, pathologists, and pharmacologists who convene to review a patient’s genomic profile and collectively recommend the most clinically appropriate, evidence-supported treatment option. Importantly, in studies where MTB review was used, patients consistently had better outcomes than when treatment decisions were made independently by individual physicians, underscoring that expert, structured interpretation may be just as critical to closing the treatment gap as access to the test itself¹.

Tumor Agnostic Biomarkers

A promising way to narrow this gap is to focus on tumor‑agnostic biomarkers that can be directly linked to specific treatments, regardless of where the cancer originates. Examples include global tumor mutational burden and microsatellite instability status, both already used to guide pan‑tumor immunotherapy approvals². By anchoring decisions to these molecular features rather than anatomical sites, CGP‑derived biomarkers can extend targeted options to patients with rare cancers, helping them access therapies even when tumor‑specific approvals for their cancer type do not yet exist.

Liquid Biopsies and Additional Analyses

Another promising way to expand CGP’s value in rare cancers is through more accessible biomarkers. Liquid biopsies can capture circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA, enabling CGP when tissue is scarce or difficult to obtain. Combining CGP with additional analyses can also increase the yield of actionable findings from tumor samples. For instance, integrating transcriptomic profiling links genomic mutations to gene expression patterns and provides richer biological context, making it easier to translate genomic insights into concrete treatment decisions.

Global Data-Sharing and Harmonized Knowledgebases

Today, variant interpretation is spread across multiple, partially overlapping databases, so clinicians have no single, unified reference for assessing genomic findings. Mutations from rare cancers are less likely to be comprehensively represented in all of these resources, increasing the risk that a clinician using one database may miss a potential targeted option that appears in another. Aggregating CGP results into harmonized, shared knowledgebases would enable more powerful analyses and help reveal cross‑tumor patterns in rarer cancers, improving variant interpretation and supporting more informed, evidence‑based treatment decisions.

Conclusion

Broader CGP access is a critical step toward closing the rare cancer treatment gap, but it is not the whole story. As more patients are tested, CGP will continue to uncover a high proportion of clinically actionable alterations, with systematic data suggesting rates as high as 94%. However, only a small minority currently receive genomically matched therapy. Without parallel investment in downstream interpretation and treatment pathways, including molecular tumor boards, standardized evidence‑tiering for variants, and more reliable access to matched drugs and trials, expanded testing will mostly increase the number of unrealized opportunities rather than consistently translating findings into better outcomes. Access to robust CGP analyses, particularly those integrating genomic alterations with transcriptome data, will expand the pool of clinically relevant biomarkers and increase the likelihood that patients with rare cancers can be matched to effective therapies and trials.

Reach out to Sampled’s experts to learn more about CGP and how it can be combined with additional omic layers in our CLIA‑licensed, CAP‑accredited fully integrated analytical laboratory and biorepository.

References

1. Limaye S, Deshmukh J, Rohatagi N, et al. Usefulness of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling in Clinical Decision-Making in Oncology: A Systematic Review. J Immunother Precis Oncol. 2025;8(1):55-63. doi:10.36401/JIPO-24-11 

2. Saito Y, Horie S, Kogure Y, et al. Real-world clinical utility of comprehensive genomic profiling in advanced solid tumors. Nat Med. 2026;32(2):690-701. doi:10.1038/s41591-025-04086-8 

Piscataway, NJ – Sampled, an integrated analytical laboratory and biorepository, has partnered with 10x Genomics to offer a Spatial In Situ Gene Expression Services Grant, using the Xenium Prime 5K assay, for researchers across the United States.

Spatial transcriptomics is a rapidly growing field that allows scientists to map gene expression across different conditions within a tissue’s natural architecture. This approach has important applications in both physiological and disease research, including studies of tumor microenvironments and neurodegenerative tissues, by revealing cellular activation states, developmental trajectories, and cell identities.

In support of bold research aimed at advancing our understanding of health and disease, Sampled is excited to announce a new grant opportunity: one researcher will be awarded a complete 10x Genomics Xenium Prime 5K assay workflow for four slides, worth $46,000, performed end-to-end by our technical experts. The awardee may submit fresh-frozen or FFPE tissue and will receive a comprehensive dataset covering cell boundaries, transcript locations, gene expression profiles, and the spatial organization of cells and transcripts.

The 10x Genomics Xenium platform is a best-in-class technology for spatial gene expression mapping. A single slide using the Xenium Prime 5K panel provides expression analysis of approximately 5,000 genes across intact tissue containing an imageable area of 236mm². Insights gained from the Xenium can provide a powerful starting point or complementary dataset for diverse research programs spanning discovery through to translational work. The Xenium helps to answer research questions centered on complex cellular interactions, such as tracking the evolution of cancer tissue and assessing immune cell dynamics post-treatment.

Sampled supports state-of-the-art research as a Certified Service Provider for 10x Genomics Xenium In Situ, Visium Spatial, and Chromium Single Cell platforms. As a leader in cellular and molecular biology platforms, 10x Genomics enables researchers to generate high-resolution insights into gene expression, cellular identity, and tissue architecture, powering the next generation of discoveries.

In addition to delivering end-to-end workflows using 10x Genomics platforms, Sampled’s integrated services span sample collection, storage, processing, and bioinformatics analysis. By applying expertise at every step, we help protect sample integrity and generate robust, reliable data to support research and downstream decision-making.

About Sampled

Sampled is a fully integrated laboratory and biorepository service provider delivering solutions for collecting, analyzing, and storing biological samples. Founded in 1999 as RUCDR at Rutgers University, Sampled provides state-of-the-art biobanking, multiomics, cell services, and custom clinical kitting solutions. Sampled’s CAP-accredited and CLIA-licensed operations support high-quality sample storage, management, and analysis, empowering life science organizations to speed time to reliable data, enable new discoveries, and advance human health. 

Media Contact

Caroline Mitchell, PhD

Director, Content & Creative Strategy, Sampled

communications@sampled.com

Watch the Webinar On-Demand

Long-read Whole Genome Sequencing: Enhancing Diagnostic Power Across Clinical Applications

Watch Webinar

The webinar delivered data-driven insights into the current state of long-read sequencing, with a focus on clinical practice, presented from the perspectives of both a clinician and a medical genomics expert. It is essential viewing for clinical operations managers and organizations seeking to improve diagnostic yield and ensure that their strategies for 2026 are aligned with newer technologies that are cost-effective, practical, and make a meaningful contribution to patient care.

The Importance of Clinical Genomics, and the Missing Pieces

Genetic variation is the root cause of many diseases. While many variants are well characterized and their clinical implications are understood, the genetic causes of many rare and complex conditions remain unknown or only partially elucidated. Single-nucleotide mutations and other small variants play an important role in genetic disease, but they do not tell the full story. Larger variants, including structural variants and repeat expansions, are known contributors to disease, but their full impact on the genetic disease landscape remains poorly understood. Short-read sequencing is highly effective for detecting small genetic variants, but it struggles to resolve larger variants, leaving many patients without a definitive diagnosis and clinicians with limited information with which to guide treatment.

Long-Read Sequencing Comes of Age

Dr. Nahas opened the discussion with an overview of current long-read sequencing technologies, highlighting how the field has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years. Historically, long-read sequencing has been low-throughput and expensive, and used only for niche applications and small cohort studies. Today, it offers much higher throughput at a lower cost, making it suitable for clinical and commercial applications.

Dr. Nahas explained how long-read sequencing provides accurate detection of different variant classes to support rare and complex disease diagnosis. It is also valuable in pharmacogenomics, where it enables accurate star-allele resolution, and in population genomics, where it enables high-accuracy phasing. Long-read sequencing can significantly improve clinical interpretation and epidemiological insights, especially for populations underrepresented in existing genomics studies. It also excels in preclinical GLP gene-editing assessments, where it helps evaluate clonal stability, detect unintended edits, and generate high-quality reports for regulatory review. In short, it is a powerhouse across commercial, clinical, and translational pipelines, and is already in use by early adopters.

Dr. Nahas also presented a practical framework for implementing long-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS) within CLIA/CAP-regulated clinical environments, including detailed guidance on the analytical validation of short tandem repeat coverage across diverse loci. This section of the webinar is a must-watch for any organization considering adopting long-read WGS into their clinical workflows.

A Clinician’s Perspective on Long-Read Sequencing

In the second part of the webinar, Dr. Ellsworth provided her perspective on long-read sequencing as a clinician working with patients with genetic disorders. Dr. Ellsworth began by highlighting the power of short-read sequencing in rapid clinical genetic testing. She then outlined the limitations of short-read sequencing, including alignment ambiguity caused by high sequence similarity, reduced sensitivity to larger variants, and difficulties detecting repeat expansions and epigenetic features that are critical for the analysis of many neurological disorders.

Dr. Ellsworth presented several practical examples illustrating the contrasting ability of long-read and short-read sequencing to resolve short tandem repeats in clinical samples. Some short-read sequencing reads spanning repeat regions were lower in quality, leading to less reliable variant calls, whereas long-read sequencing provided improved resolution in these regions. Based on these findings, the team at RCIGM recognized the value of incorporating long-read sequencing to improve diagnostic yield and reduce final report turnaround time in certain cases. Dr. Ellsworth and her team now include long-read sequencing as an integrated part of their WGS pipelines for repeat expansion detection.

Making Large-Scale Long-Read Sequencing a Reality

Dr. Nahas and Dr. Ellsworth agreed that the question is no longer whether long-read sequencing belongs in clinical diagnostics, but how it can be integrated without disrupting existing operations. As costs decrease and throughput increases, the application of long-read sequencing is likely to expand significantly in the clinical setting. Laboratories that invest early and maintain flexible sequencing and downstream analysis infrastructure will be best positioned to benefit.

To conclude the webinar, Dr. Nahas and Dr. Ellsworth engaged in an insightful discussion on what it truly takes to implement long-read sequencing at scale, covering critical considerations such as DNA quality and quantity, extraction methods, and the need for purpose-built facilities. Their conversation reinforced that success depends not only on technology, but on robust, CLIA/CAP-compliant frameworks and expert-led processes that integrate seamlessly into existing clinical genomics programs.

Watch the full webinar on-demand now

Ready to try long-read sequencing for yourself?

Sampled is a Certified Service Provider (CSP) for the PacBio Revio and offers end-to-end long-read sequencing services.

Contact our team to see how you can use long-read sequencing to unlock genomic insights and achieve improved outcomes in your clinical or commercial workflows.

Contact our team

Piscataway, NJ – Sampled, an integrated analytical laboratory and biorepository, has partnered with Lighthouse Lab Services to provide scalable laboratory solutions for clients across the biomedical sector.

Research and clinical laboratories are under increasing pressure to deliver more results while working with tighter budgets. Growing a laboratory under these constraints poses significant challenges. Acquiring new laboratory facilities and equipment can stretch budgets, while a lack of resources makes it more challenging to maintain standards and add new services. These factors threaten operations and laboratory performance, with knock-on effects for downstream clients, diagnostic applications, and patients.

Lighthouse Lab Services offers a range of services to help laboratories get started, run efficiently, and expand their operations. Their expertise spans crucial biomedical areas, such as toxicology, pathology, molecular diagnostics, and related fields. Lighthouse Lab Services helps clients achieve efficiency through expert consulting across key areas, such as equipment procurement, recruitment, software, and quality and compliance solutions.

The partnership between Sampled and Lighthouse Lab Services will give clients access to our comprehensive sample processing, storage, multiomics, and cellular services. Outsourcing through this partnership will enable laboratories to scale up their operations without incurring excess capital expenditures for laboratory space and equipment. This will enable labs to grow their capabilities rapidly while controlling costs.

About Sampled

Sampled is a fully integrated laboratory and biorepository with industry-leading storage, sample management, multiomics, cellular services, and custom clinical kitting. Founded in 1999 as RUCDR at Rutgers University, Sampled operates facilities in the US and UK and is CAP accredited and CLIA licensed. Sampled is committed to providing the highest quality sample storage, processing, and analysis services that enable researchers to make new discoveries and advance human health. When combined with state-of-the-art biobanking facilities, these capabilities provide comprehensive scientific solutions that speed time to quality data.

Media Contact

Caroline Mitchell, PhD

Director, Content & Creative Strategy, Sampled

communications@sampled.com

Clinical trials are an increasingly global endeavor. Collaborations between pharmaceutical companies, academic bodies, healthcare institutions, CROs, and CDMOs require a robust, highly regulated infrastructure for storing and distributing IMPs to international sites. Such infrastructure must ensure the safety and security of sensitive materials, achieve timely delivery, and maintain adaptive regulatory compliance.

Companies must partner with a MIA (IMP) licensed provider to meet these demands for import into the UK. This accreditation enables the storage and distribution of IMPs and facilitates the exchange of IMPs with other licensed entities through a Qualified Person. Finding an MHRA-certified partner who meets the highest standards of trust and quality is essential. Choosing the wrong partner can put clinical trials at risk through diminished IMP quality and regulatory non-compliance.

The recent MIA (IMP) license renewal and MHRA certification reinforce Sampled as a trusted, world-class partner for the storage and transport of IMPs. Our scalable storage and distribution solutions are built to support the evolving needs of organizations running global clinical trials, offering a safe, cost-effective, and fully compliant way to store and ship investigational materials through the UK.

“Sampled’s MHRA certification under our renewed MIA (IMP) license cements our global reputation for maintaining the highest standards of quality and control in handling clinical trial materials. On the back of our recent WDA licensing, this accreditation reinforces Sampled as a safe pair of hands for regulated storage and distribution at any scale, vindicating the trust leading pharmaceutical companies place in our capabilities.”

Mike Whatmough

General Manager UK, Europe & Global Technical Services, Sampled

View the press release on PRNewswire

About Sampled

Sampled is a fully integrated laboratory and biorepository with industry-leading storage, sample management, multiomics, cellular services, and custom clinical kitting. Founded in 1999 as RUCDR at Rutgers University, Sampled operates facilities in the US and UK and is CAP accredited and CLIA licensed. Sampled is committed to providing the highest quality sample storage, processing, and analysis services that enable researchers to make new discoveries and advance human health. When combined with state-of-the-art biobanking facilities, these capabilities provide comprehensive scientific solutions that speed time to quality data.

Media Contact

Caroline Mitchell, PhD

Director, Content & Creative Strategy, Sampled

communications@sampled.com

This research involves collecting biospecimens from 7,000 birthing parents and their children to investigate how prenatal and postnatal experiences influence children’s neural, cognitive, behavioral, social, emotional, and health outcomes.

The Impact of Early Experiences and Exposures on Infant Health Outcomes

The development of the human nervous system is a complex process, beginning a few weeks after conception and continuing throughout gestation and long after birth. This development is driven by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors, with the late prenatal stage and early infancy marking a period of exceptionally rapid and significant change. Although it is well understood that these factors impact childhood development across biological and social domains, the precise causal relationships between early exposures and subsequent behavior remain unclear. Therefore, gathering diverse data from birthing parents and their children during both prenatal and postnatal stages is essential for uncovering the biological mechanisms that link early-life exposures to developmental outcomes.

In this manuscript, the research team presents the rationale behind the study, detailing the selection of specific biospecimen collections (e.g., blood, saliva, nails) and other tests conducted at various developmental stages (i.e., prenatal, 0–1 month, 3–9 months, 9–15 months). The study design aims to balance the depth of phenotypic information collected with considerations of participant burden and other relevant factors.

EL Sullivan, R Bogdan, L Bakhireva, et al., Biospecimens in the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study: Rationale and protocol, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Volume 70, 2024, 101451, ISSN 1878-9293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101451.

Cohort Selection

The HBCD study was designed to consider population diversity and specific substance exposures. Accurate representation of the broader population is essential to minimize bias in large cohort studies. At the same time, a key goal of the study is to examine infant exposure to substances such as opioids, marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, and others. To achieve both aims, the researchers organized the cohort into three categories.

1. 50% – Racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse cohort representative of the U.S. population
2. 25% – Pregnant persons with use of targeted substances
3. 25% – Individuals demographically and behaviorally similar to group two but without substance use during pregnancy

All participating birthing parents are between 18 and 50 years of age and will have given birth 12 months before the start of the study.

Parameter Selection

Data is collected from biospecimen analysis (i.e., genomics/epigenomics), questionnaires, interviews, biosensors, behavioral, electroencephalogram (EEG), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This enables researchers to link prenatal and postnatal experiences, including:

• Physical health
• Behavior
• Neurocognition/language capabilities
• Neurodevelopment
• Activity and sleep

Biospecimen collection is a central component of the HBCD study, providing researchers with objective insights into various biological mechanisms and exposure to specific target substances. The types of biospecimens to be collected and the rationale for their collection include:

• Blood: To assess biomarkers and environmental exposures in the birthing parent
• Urine: To assess proteins and environmental exposures
• Nails: To index substance exposure
• Saliva: For genetic material and to track epigenetic changes over time
• Stool: To facilitate microbiome studies in child participants

Sampled, a CAP-accredited and CLIA-licensed analytical laboratory and biorepository, performs the ongoing specimen collection logistics, sample storage, and analytical processing.

Implications for Research

The HBCD study aims to generate a comprehensive collection of high-quality biospecimens and associated data for future use by diverse research teams. In addition to providing these resources, the researchers offer guidance on effectively applying the data to various fields, including genomics, nutrition, toxicology, inflammation, microbiome, and metabolomics. The depth and robustness of this data will support a wide range of research areas and help address longstanding questions about how early experiences and exposures influence neurocognitive and behavioral development.

“The design of the HBCD study, pairing the longitudinal collection of extensive phenotypic data with varied biospecimens, will enable researchers to interrogate the complex relationships in child development between genetics, environment and maternal drug exposure using state-of-the-art multiomics approaches including bulk and single cell next generation sequencing, epigenomics, metagenomics, and metabolomics.“

Michael Sheldon, PhD

Dr. Sheldon has a career spanning more than 30 years in genetic research and biobanking. In 2021, he founded the Scientific Affairs department at Sampled with the mission to provide expert technical resources to clients, discovery and adoption of new technologies, and the coordination of outreach initiatives. Prior to that he served as Senior Director of Sample Processing Services at RUCDR Infinite Biologics (now Sampled), with oversight of all sample processing services relating to blood fractionation, cell and stem cell culture, and nucleic acid extraction.

Dr. Sheldon received his B.A. from Cornell University in 1983 and a Ph.D. from SUNY at Stony Brook in 1993. He is an Adjunct Professor of Genetics at Rutgers University and is a published researcher in Genetics, Neurodevelopment, and Stem Cell biology.

The Sampled breakout session featured our Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) Shareef Nahas, PhD alongside the CEO and Founder of Nucleus Genomics, Kian Sadeghi. Their discussion covered many sub-topics within the multiomics umbrella, including how genome sequencing has evolved over the last 20 years, where the field is going, and how to bring genomic sequencing to the clinic and make it more widely available to the public.

The Evolution of Multiomic Technologies Over the Last 20 Years

Multiomic techniques are not a recent breakthrough. However, they have yet to reach their full potential. Modern research, including clinical studies, demands the ability to perform multiomics at scale, providing multidimensional insights into patient health before, during, and after treatment. This level of information, including data generated by NGS, opens the door for truly personalized medicine. Ensuring this information can be extracted at scale and with quality requires dedicated infrastructure and expertise.

Achieving Quality at Scale to Drive the Personalized Medicine Revolution

The discussion between Shareef and Kian focused on how to bring the promise of genomics-based medicine to the real world. Part of the solution, they believe, lies in providing the scalability and quality needed for actionable insights at scale.

Their chat covered the early years of omics and is a fascinating discussion of where we have come from and where we are going. Genomics offers valuable insights at both the individual and population levels. Large-scale studies are deepening our understanding of disease, while growing access to genome sequencing, along with improved education about it, empowers individuals to take greater control of their health.

Expanding Access to Genetic Insights

Many diseases have genetic roots, yet 90% of people are unaware they may carry genetic risk factors. This untapped information could empower individuals to take a more proactive approach to their health, improving their long-term wellbeing and lessening the burden on the healthcare system. Early tools like microarrays offer only limited genetic insights, but NGS can now analyze entire genomes at rapidly lowering costs. With recent advances in technology, logistics, and data reporting, NGS insights are more accessible and affordable than ever, bringing us closer to a future where a single cheek swab can reveal a person’s complete genomic health profile.

Shareef and Kian emphasized the need to shift our understanding of genetics, from viewing it as a separate or secondary aspect of medicine to recognizing it as a central component of healthcare, providing essential information for guiding personalized, effective care.

The Need for Technology and Expertise at Scale

A key challenge highlighted during the breakout session was managing the massive volume of data and samples needed to make genome sequencing practical at the population level. Each full genome generates an enormous amount of information that must be accurately analyzed and converted into actionable insights. Scaling personalized genomics to serve a broader population requires advanced logistics, expert sample handling, and high-quality analytical infrastructure, resources that only a few facilities can currently provide. Sequencing is a highly sensitive technique, and maintaining data accuracy is crucial for effective patient care, making expert oversight essential at every stage. To support this level of quality and scale, large, centralized facilities are indispensable.

Watch the Full Summit Online

The GEN Summit highlighted the crucial role of multiomics in the future of healthcare. Here’s a snapshot of the talks you don’t want to miss out on:

Jacob Thaysen, PhD, CEO of Illumina

• How Illumina is driving down the cost of sequencing
• The importance of AI in large cohort studies and multiomics approaches

Cecilia Lindskog, PhD, Research Group Leader at Uppsala University & Fabian Coscia, PhD, Research Group Leader at Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine

• Exciting developments in spatial proteomics for precision medicine
• Mapping the “Human Protein Atlas” to understand health and disease

Robert Meltzer, PhD, Associate Principal Scientist at Illumina

• Enabling single cell RNA sequencing in any lab setup

Clive Brown, Former CTO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies

• Insights from a veteran of nanopore technology

You can watch these sessions, and all of the others, for free online!

Already thinking about your next big multiomics project?

Get in touch with one of our experts today to discover how we can scale your research to generate even greater insights.

Speak to a Multiomics Expert

Safe and scalable product storage is essential for pharmaceutical and medtech companies to consistently meet market demand. However, building and maintaining large storage facilities for drugs, biologics, medical devices, and therapeutic products can drive up operational costs. Many products, such as flu vaccines, are only needed seasonally, leading to underused storage space and unnecessary expenditure. This makes outsourcing a cost-effective alternative to reduce CapEx. However, finding a reliable, WDA-licensed partner with the capacity to manage and store large volumes of inventory can be a significant hurdle.

WDA licensing, regulated by the MHRA, is mandatory for any organisation that stores or distributes human or veterinary medicines in the UK. This license ensures compliance with strict regulations, requiring that medicinal products are handled safely and maintained to high quality standards. WDA ensures customer protection by safeguarding end users from counterfeit products. It also mandates thorough documentation, which must be accurately maintained and stored for a minimum of ten years.

By obtaining WDA licensing, Sampled now offers a powerful new service covering distribution, returns, recalls, and secure long-term storage of medicinal products in two specialised warehouses (Cold 2–8 °C and Controlled Ambient 15–25 °C). This solution is ideal for large pharmaceutical manufacturers and is capable of handling substantial volumes while offering flexibility and reliability. Located on Scotland’s central M8 corridor, Sampled streamlines logistics across the UK and beyond, with key advantages for pharmaceutical and life science companies, including:

• Eliminating CapEx and maintenance costs for new storage facilities
• Scaling with demand so you only pay for what you need
• Remaining up to date with technological advancements and regulatory requirements to ensure enduring quality and compliance

“I am delighted to announce that Sampled has obtained WDA licensing, allowing us to offer extensive outsourced storage and distribution services for pharmaceutical companies operating within the UK. This marks a significant expansion of our storage and logistics offerings, further strengthening our support for life sciences organisations with flexible, compliant, and scalable solutions.”

Mike Whatmough

General Manager UK, Europe & Global Technical Services, Sampled

About Sampled

Sampled is a fully integrated laboratory and biorepository with industry-leading storage, sample management, multiomics, cellular services, and custom clinical kitting. Founded in 1999 as RUCDR at Rutgers University, Sampled operates facilities in the US and UK and is CAP accredited and CLIA licensed. Sampled is committed to providing the highest quality sample storage, processing, and analysis services that enable researchers to make new discoveries and advance human health. When combined with state-of-the-art biobanking facilities, these capabilities provide comprehensive scientific solutions that speed time to quality data.

Media Contact

Caroline Mitchell, PhD

Director, Content & Creative Strategy, Sampled

communications@sampled.com

Piscataway, NJ – Sampled, an integrated analytical laboratory and biorepository, has partnered with the European Bank for Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (EBiSC) as the sole distributor of their stem cell line catalog to US researchers.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are the bedrock of many modern research applications. Researchers use them to generate precise disease models for basic research and more precise drug screening applications. iPSC-based therapies are already showing promise in clinical trials for diseases spanning oncology, ophthalmology, hematology/immunology, and neurology. iPSCs are an enduring asset for scientific research, growing in relevance as new technologies and infrastructures facilitate their implementation.

EBiSC is a centralized biobank that maintains iPSCs and their associated data for use by both non-profit and commercial organizations. They currently store over 900 cell lines representing more than 40 diseases and address common challenges facing iPSC researchers by maintaining important GDPR regulatory and legal information. EBiSC performs functional and phenotypic characterization of derived cell lines, which helps to streamline research efforts and reduces the experimental burden on research teams. A highlight of the repository is the EBiSC-NEUR1 iPSC neurons, a doxycycline-inducible cell model that allows researchers to study diverse neuronal lineages. The EBiSC catalog, available at www.EBiSC.org, provides a comprehensive list of available cell lines and associated data.

Sampled has partnered with EBiSC as the sole distributor of their iPSC catalog to US researchers, including EBiSC-NEUR1 iPSC neurons, to support diverse applications across broad therapeutic areas. This partnership improves accessibility to important cell lines and builds on the existing cell line catalogs that Sampled distributes for organizations such as the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Stem Cell Center.

Sampled offers a suite of iPSC services, including iPSC reprogramming from fibroblasts and lymphocytes, gene editing, expansion, storage, and quality control. Comprehensive multiomics offerings enable on-site analysis of iPSC lines, spanning genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and more.

“I am thrilled to announce the partnership between Sampled and EBiSC to make their valuable iPSC collection available to investigators in the US. We consider this an important and essential addition the stem cell line repository offerings Sampled already provides.”

Mike Sheldon, PhD

Senior Director Scientific Affairs, Sampled

About Sampled

Sampled is a fully integrated laboratory and biorepository with industry-leading storage, sample management, multiomics, cellular services, and custom clinical kitting. Founded in 1999 as RUCDR at Rutgers University, Sampled operates facilities in the US and UK and is CAP accredited and CLIA licensed. Sampled is committed to providing the highest quality sample storage, processing, and analysis services that enable researchers to make new discoveries and advance human health. When combined with state-of-the-art biobanking facilities, these capabilities provide comprehensive scientific solutions that speed time to quality data.

Media Contact

Caroline Mitchell, PhD

Director, Content & Creative Strategy, Sampled

communications@sampled.com

Piscataway, NJ – Sampled, an integrated analytical biorepository and multiomics company, is proud to announce its selection as a Genomic Characterization Center for the Genome Characterization program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. This prestigious Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract has a funding ceiling of $150 million, positioning Sampled as a key contributor to supporting the advancement of cutting-edge cancer research and genomic discovery.

Under the award, Sampled will participate in all four contract pools, leveraging its state-of-the-art technologies and expertise to deliver comprehensive genomic solutions:

Pool 1 – DNA Sequencing

Whole Genome Sequencing and Whole Exome Sequencing using DNA extracted from FFPE or fresh frozen samples to support researchers comprehensive understanding of cancer biology by identifying mutations, structural variations, and genetic abnormalities that drive tumor progression critical for advancing precision oncology, uncovering novel therapeutic targets, and supporting large-scale cancer genomic studies.

Pool 2 – RNA Sequencing

RNAseq and microRNAseq using RNA extracted from FFPE or fresh frozen samples for transcriptomic analysis which will support researchers to analyze gene expression and regulatory pathways, revealing how genetic changes affect tumor development and behavior, essential for to identify biomarkers, study tumor microenvironment interactions, and potentially monitor responses to cancer therapies.

Pool 3 – Epigenome Characterization

Methylation and Chromatin Accessibility Characterization with array and sequencing based assays using DNA extracted from FFPE or fresh frozen samples to support NCI researchers to investigate critical changes, such as methylation patterns and chromatin remodeling, that drive cancer progression and therapeutic resistance.

Pool 4 – Single Cell/Spatial Characterization

Single-cell RNA, ATAC-seq, Spatial, and In Situ Analyses from FFPE or fresh frozen samples allowing a detailed understanding of tumor heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment by analyzing individual cells and their interactions, for studying treatment resistance, advancing immunotherapy, and personalizing cancer care.

“Being part of the NCI Genome Characterization contract is a testament to Sampled’s unwavering commitment to delivering innovative and reliable solutions for cancer research,” said Greg Morrissey, Sr Director Government / Public Sector at Sampled. “Our participation across all four contract pools underscores our diverse capabilities in supporting the scientific community to uncover the complexities of cancer and drive precision medicine forward.”

“Sampled’s selection for this contract is an significant milestone in our mission to support cancer researchers with cutting-edge multiomics tools,” said Shareef Nahas, Chief Scientific Officer of Sampled. “Our team is deeply committed to advancing human health and medicine. This partnership with the NCI allows us to contribute directly to advancing oncology research, accelerating the discovery of novel cancer therapies, and improving patient outcomes through comprehensive genomic and molecular insights.”  

As a trusted partner to the NCI and the broader research community, Sampled’s contributions will enable groundbreaking discoveries in cancer genomics and epigenetics. The company’s integrated approach, combining cutting-edge technologies, robust infrastructure, and unparalleled expertise, ensures that researchers have access to the highest quality data and insights.

View the Press Release at PR Newswire Here

About Sampled

Sampled is a fully integrated laboratory and biorepository with industry-leading storage, sample management, multiomics, cellular services, and custom clinical kitting. Founded in 1999 as RUCDR at Rutgers University, Sampled operates facilities in the US and UK and is CAP accredited and CLIA licensed. Sampled is committed to providing the highest quality sample storage, processing, and analysis services that enable researchers to make new discoveries and advance human health. When combined with state-of-the-art biobanking facilities, these capabilities provide comprehensive scientific solutions that speed time to quality data.

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