Emerging & high-interest driven oncology targets

The oncology landscape is rapidly evolving, entering a phase of exponential development defined by incremental innovation. As tumor biology becomes better understood at single-cell and spatial resolution level, target selection is no longer driven exclusively by differential expression; it is guided by functional relevance, resistance biology, and microenvironmental context. A new generation of high-interest oncology targets is emerging across three strategically important domains: ADC-enabling surface antigens, metabolic pathways, and immune-modulatory molecules.

Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) represent a promising cancer therapeutic strategy that has achieved remarkable clinical and commercial success in recent years. As of early 2026, 15 ADCs have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A robust and expanding pipeline across the pharmaceutical industry is poised to deliver additional candidates in the near future. The global ADC market size is projected to grow to $64.7 billion in value by 2030, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) plays a pivotal role in ADC program development by enabling precise and quantitative characterization of target expression within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The utility of IHC assays in this setting is highly dependent on the specific ADC target. In clinical trials evaluating ADCs directed against overexpressed transmembrane targets, such as B7-H3 (a type I transmembrane immune checkpoint protein) or TROP2 (Trophoblast surface antigen 2), IHC is routinely employed to quantify target-antigen expression and support patient selection and stratification strategies. Longitudinal assessment is particularly critical, as dynamic modulation or downregulation of the target antigen represents a well-recognized mechanism of resistance to ADC therapy. Given that heterogeneous TROP-2 expression within tumors is associated with disease prognosis, accurately capturing this variability through immunohistochemical analysis can help distinguish treatment responders from non-responders.

The next frontier in oncology innovation lies in therapeutically targeting cancer-specific metabolic dependencies (disrupting the bioenergetic and biosynthetic pathways that sustain tumor growth, immune evasion, and treatment resistance). In the context of intracellular epigenetic regulators such as PRMT5 and EZH2, IHC enables biomarker-driven stratification by assessing nuclear protein expression, downstream pathway activation states (e.g., H3K27me3 as a surrogate of EZH2 activity), and tumor versus stromal compartmentalization, factors that may critically inform rational combination strategies and therapeutic positioning.

A third category of emerging targets comprises immune-modulatory molecules such as 4-1BB (CD137). As these targets exert their therapeutic effects by modulating immune cell activation rather than directly targeting tumor cells, a precise understanding of their cellular context within the tumor microenvironment becomes essential. In this setting, IHC plays a critical role in characterizing the distribution, density, and spatial localization of target-expressing immune cell subsets (including T cells and NK cells) within the tumor microenvironment, thereby informing both efficacy expectations and safety considerations. Across these programs, IHC supports pharmacodynamic assessments, positioning this technology as a critical translational bridge between target biology and clinical response prediction. Importantly, the value of IHC extends beyond the analysis of isolated protein expression. The spatial distribution of immune cells within the TME (specifically their localization within the intratumoral core versus the peritumoral stroma or invasive margin) can decisively influence the efficacy of immunotherapies, including 4-1BB/CD137 agonists. A highly immunosuppressive peri-tumoral barrier characterized by elevated expression of markers such as PD-1, TGF-beta, and FAP-alpha may attenuate the activity of 4-1BB-mediated immune activation. Accordingly, integrating spatial context into biomarker analysis is essential for elucidating mechanisms of immune resistance and optimizing the overall therapeutic strategy.

To support the accelerating complexity of oncology drug development, NeoGenomics continues expanding its portfolio with a comprehensive suite of next-generation IHC targets aligned to today’s most innovative therapeutic classes (including ADCs, immune modulators, and epigenetic regulators). Complementing this menu, we have recently launched an advanced spatial biology solution, Paletrra™that integrates whole-slide imaging with AI-driven analytical capabilities, preserving tissue architecture while delivering high-dimensional, spatially resolved insights into tumor–immune interactions, cellular phenotypes, and microenvironmental dynamics. Building on this menu, NeoGenomics offers a fully integrated biomarker ecosystem designed to de-risk oncology programs from discovery through late-phase development.

Explore our end-to-end capabilities