Tracking the Shift: Real-World Adoption of Emerging IHC Markers in Early 2026
- February 11, 2026
- Posted in Lab Testing Insights
- Posted in Liquid Biopsy
- Posted in Oncology
- Posted in IHC
Tracking the Shift: Real-World Adoption of Emerging IHC Markers in Early 2026
3:18
Moving beyond the "hype" to seeing actual testing adoption on the ground.
For the last year, the precision oncology community has been preparing for the "IHC renaissance." We’ve discussed the clinical importance of biomarkers like FOLR1, CLDN18.2, and cMET extensively. But for commercial and medical teams, the question has remained: Is the testing actually happening, and is it leaving the academic centers?Theory is one thing; real-world requisition behavior is another.
As we move through Q1 of 2026, we are finally seeing the "theoretical" demand translate into consistent, community-level patterns. By analyzing a new, unique stream of lab data that provides visibility into previously opaque testing markets, we can now confirm that these markers are moving firmly into standard workflows.
Here is what the early-year data is revealing about testing behaviors.
The Signal is Clear: Consistency Over Sporadicity
What stands out in the early 2026 data isn't just that testing is happening—it’s the consistency of the positive results.
Unlike niche genomic mutations that might appear sporadically, these protein-expression markers are showing steady, reliable signals. This suggests that pathologists are already integrating these stains into their standard panels for eligible tumor types, rather than treating them as "special requests."
Based on our latest data streams, here is the baseline activity we are seeing right now:
FOLR1 (Ovarian): We are tracking a consistent stream of identified patients. This steady volume aligns with the commercial maturity of current assets in the space and indicates that testing has become a routine step in the ovarian cancer patient journey.
CLDN18 (Gastric/GEJ): The data shows a rapid uptake in screening, a strong indicator that the gastric market is responding quickly to new approvals and actively hunting for eligible patients in the frontline setting.
cMET (NSCLC): Perhaps most interestingly, we are seeing distinct testing patterns emerge for cMET. Despite the crowded lung cancer diagnostic landscape, there is clear bandwidth being carved out for MET overexpression testing alongside traditional genomic panels.
What This Means for 2026 Strategies
The regularity of these positive results signals that we have moved past the "early adopter" phase.
For manufacturers with assets in these spaces (or those in Phase 2/3 development), this data confirms that the patient population is being identified now. The challenge is no longer convincing labs to test; it is having the visibility to know where those positive results are landing before the data becomes commoditized.
Accessing the Data
Understanding these trends is critical, but acting on them requires granular access.
Prognos has secured a unique window into these specific testing behaviors, offering exclusive visibility into this data stream through the first half of 2026. If your team is looking to validate your own forecast models or identify where these positive patients are appearing in real-time, we can help you close that gap.
Contact us to discuss how these trends map to your specific territories.