Tagomics Breakthrough Study Showcases New Epigenomic Profiling Technology in Cell Reports Methods

Cambridge-based biomarker discovery company Tagomics Ltd. has unveiled a groundbreaking study that could reshape the way scientists study the human epigenome and advance liquid biopsy diagnostics. Published this week in Cell Reports Methods, the peer-reviewed paper highlights the company’s Active-Seq technology, the foundation of its proprietary Activace™ platform, which enables genome-wide profiling of unmethylated DNA with unprecedented precision.

The research, titled “Genome-wide profiling of unmodified DNA using methyltransferase-directed tagging and enrichment”, builds on work from the University of Birmingham. It demonstrates how Tagomics’ enzymatic approach to epigenomic profiling can identify biomarkers linked to cancer and other diseases by targeting unmethylated DNA regions, critical signals often missed by current technologies.

Traditional methods for measuring DNA methylation, the chemical modifications that regulate gene activity, have long been a challenge in liquid biopsy applications, where only trace amounts of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) are available. Active-Seq sidesteps these limitations with a conversion-free workflow that preserves the DNA sequence and works with inputs as low as one nanogram. Integrated into the streamlined Activace platform, this approach allows for scalable, high-resolution analysis across large patient cohorts.

In their colorectal cancer study, Tagomics scientists used Active-Seq to detect thousands of abnormally methylated genomic regions, both hyper- and hypomethylated, in tumour-derived samples. These signals, strongly associated with cancer biology, could enable earlier detection and improved characterisation of disease through non-invasive blood testing. The study also points to the potential of this technology to trace the tissue of origin of cfDNA, a key hurdle in liquid biopsy diagnostics.

Dr. Robert Neely, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Tagomics, called the publication a “major milestone” for the company:

With Activace positioned as a scalable solution for biomarker discovery, Tagomics is aiming to push the boundaries of epigenomic research and accelerate the development of liquid biopsy diagnostics for oncology and beyond.