Why is COMPASS needed?
Scientific research technologies often go through a cycle similar to the one described below. Advancements in hardware lead to larger amounts of data, which overwhelm current software's capacity to effectively analyze. Eventually, computational tools are developed to handle and analyze the new, larger data sets. This is when the full value of the research technology is realized.
Proteomics is stuck in the 'Information overload' phase. Mass-spec proteomics researchers throw out the majority of the data produced due to limitations in data analysis methods.
Magellan's COMPASS technology has been developed to alleviate this information overload, and harness the mass spec's true potential. Thanks to COMPASS, Magellan is analyzing proteomic data on an unprecedented scale.

Advantages of COMPASS
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Proteomics at a large scale: >2.5M data points/sample
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Unlike DNA, whose information if fixed, the proteomic analysis by COMPASS is dynamic and reflects changing health status
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COMPASS is agnostic to biological function, allowing exploitation of biomarkers that have not been previously characterized or known to be associated with certain indications, treatments, or treatment outcomes
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As Magellan's proteomic dataset and analytics grow, so too will its ability to detect, stage, predict, and guide therapy for various diseases - all from a single assay
COMPASS Process
Discovery Process
The standard approach for discovering predictive markers usually follows these steps:
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Study the biology of the condition
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Identify one or more molecules that are critical to the process
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Develop an assay for detecting the identified molecules
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Use the assay to try to predict the desired condition
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If this did not work, restart at step 1
The above process requires significant biological skill, capabilities, time, and expense
The Magellan approach works differently:
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Identify a set of patient the exhibit the condition or may exhibit the condition in the future, as well as a set of control patients
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Extract blood, produce serum and perform Magellan's mass-spec analysis on all patients
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Using machine learning, analyze >2.5M unique species, and develop a classifier for the desired outcome
In some cases, the identity of the markers can be elucidated by further mass-spec analysis.
The Magellan method does not require an underlying understanding of the biology, is target agnostic, faster, and less expensive than traditional approaches.