SomaLogic
SomaLogic was a Boulder-based proteomics and clinical diagnostics company known for its SomaScan platform and modified-aptamer technology for measuring large panels of protein biomarkers.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
SomaLogic was a biotechnology company headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, focused on protein biomarker discovery, proteomics, and clinical diagnostic applications. Its central technology was the SomaScan platform, which used modified aptamers known as SOMAmers to bind selected proteins in biological samples. By measuring changes in protein concentrations, the platform was designed to help researchers investigate disease biology, identify biomarkers, support drug discovery, and develop diagnostic or health-monitoring applications. The company was founded in 2000 by Larry Gold, a molecular biologist and entrepreneur who had previously founded NeXstar Pharmaceuticals. Gold became SomaLogic's first chief executive and later continued as chairman. Under subsequent chief executives Byron Hewett, Alister Reynolds, and Roy Smythe, the company expanded from a technology-development business into a commercial proteomics provider serving pharmaceutical companies, academic researchers, healthcare organizations, and diagnostic developers. SomaLogic's principal commercial offering was SomaScan. The platform was intended to quantify many proteins simultaneously from biological samples, allowing researchers to construct protein profiles associated with disease, treatment response, physiological traits, or future health risk. The scale of the platform grew substantially over time: the commercial system measured 1,129 protein analytes in 2013 and approximately 4,200 by 2017, according to the company's Wikipedia history. The technology was used in research concerning cardiovascular risk, lung cancer, tuberculosis, metabolic traits, kidney function, body composition, physical fitness, alcohol and tobacco exposure, diabetes risk, and other indications. SomaLogic developed a broad partnership network. It worked with Agilent Technologies on distribution to American research and educational institutions and collaborated with Quest Diagnostics on an early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer blood-test program. Other relationships included Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Otsuka, New England Biolabs, Oxford University, the Leeds Centre for Personalised Health and Medicine, iCarbonX, NEC Solution Innovators, and FonesLife Corporation in Japan. A long-term Novartis relationship was extended in 2019 through a new ten-year agreement covering the use of SomaScan in drug discovery and development. The company also moved toward packaging proteomic measurements and analytical results as information products for other businesses. In 2019 it began offering health-information tests on the SomaScan platform to prescribing physicians in Colorado, while international collaborations explored clinical and consumer-oriented applications. In July 2022, SomaLogic agreed to acquire Palamedrix, a company specializing in DNA nanotechnology, broadening its technology portfolio. SomaLogic became a publicly traded company on Nasdaq in September 2021 after merging with the special-purpose acquisition company CM Life Sciences II. Its life as an independent public company ended when Standard BioTools acquired it in an all-stock transaction completed in January 2024. The acquisition brought SomaLogic's proteomics capabilities into Standard BioTools and ended SomaLogic's independent corporate status, although its technology and brand may continue within the acquiring company's operations.
History
SomaLogic was established in 2000 in Boulder, Colorado, by Larry Gold. Gold had previously founded NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, which later merged with Gilead in 1999. At SomaLogic he served as the company's first chief executive and chairman, guiding the development of a platform intended to measure proteins at scale and use those measurements to discover disease-related biomarkers. The company's technology centered on SOMAmers, modified aptamers engineered to bind to particular target proteins. When used in the SomaScan platform, these binding reagents enabled researchers to identify and quantify proteins in biological samples. The underlying commercial proposition was that diseases and physiological conditions produce distinctive protein patterns, including patterns that may appear before obvious clinical symptoms. A broad and reproducible protein measurement system could therefore support target discovery, drug development, patient stratification, diagnostic research, and risk modeling. In 2013, Byron Hewett became chief executive while Gold remained chairman. That year SomaLogic partnered with Agilent Technologies to distribute SomaScan systems to research and educational institutions in the United States. It also entered a development arrangement with Quest Diagnostics focused on a blood test for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer. At that point the commercial platform could measure 1,129 protein analytes simultaneously. The company also developed relationships with pharmaceutical, life-science, and research organizations including Otsuka and New England Biolabs. Scientific applications expanded during the middle of the decade. A 2016 study used SomaLogic measurements to identify nine proteins associated with the risk of a second heart attack among people who had already experienced a cardiovascular event. A related Circulation study used the nine-protein cardiovascular risk score to examine early effects associated with the drug torcetrapib. SomaLogic also developed a test intended to diagnose latent tuberculosis and help predict disease progression. In 2016 it established a collaborative partnership with Oxford University. In 2017 it joined the iCarbonX Digital Life Alliance, with iCarbonX also investing in the company. Leadership changed again in 2017, when Hewett stepped down and board member Alister Reynolds became chief executive. Reynolds was replaced by Roy Smythe in 2018. During this period, SomaLogic expanded its international and clinical-development work. It worked with the Leeds Centre for Personalised Health and Medicine to evaluate SomaScan in clinical studies in the United Kingdom. The company also began packaging proteomic insights as diagnostic information for other businesses rather than limiting itself to selling or licensing the underlying measurement technology. The platform continued to increase in scale. By 2017 it reportedly measured approximately 4,200 protein analytes, allowing researchers to build increasingly broad profiles of health and disease. A 2019 study used SomaScan data to develop protein-based models for a range of indications and traits, including liver fat, kidney filtration, body-fat measures, visceral fat, lean body mass, cardiopulmonary fitness, physical activity, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, diabetes risk, and the risk of a primary cardiovascular event. SomaLogic maintained a long-term relationship with Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research. Novartis took an ownership stake in SomaLogic in 2014 as part of an extension of their original relationship, and in 2019 the companies entered a new ten-year agreement for use of SomaScan in drug discovery and development. SomaLogic also worked with NEC Solution Innovators and its FonesLife Corporation affiliate on bringing proteomics-based health-monitoring tests to Japan. In 2019, the company began commercially offering health-information tests on the SomaScan platform to prescribing physicians in Colorado. In July 2022, SomaLogic agreed to acquire Palamedrix, a DNA nanotechnology company. The transaction reflected an effort to add complementary technology to the company's proteomics activities. SomaLogic became publicly listed on Nasdaq in September 2021 through a merger with CM Life Sciences II, a special-purpose acquisition company. Its independent public-company period ended in January 2024, when Standard BioTools acquired SomaLogic in an all-stock transaction. Following the acquisition, SomaLogic ceased to operate as an independent corporate entity, while its platform and proteomics capabilities became part of Standard BioTools' broader life-science technology portfolio.
- 2024
Acquired by Standard BioTools
[1]Standard BioTools completed an all-stock acquisition of SomaLogic in January, ending its independent corporate status.
- 2022
Agreement to acquire Palamedrix
[1]SomaLogic agreed to acquire Palamedrix, a DNA nanotechnology company.
- 2021
SomaLogic becomes a Nasdaq-listed company
[1]The company became publicly listed through its merger with CM Life Sciences II.
- 2019
Ten-year Novartis agreement
[1]SomaLogic and Novartis entered a new ten-year agreement covering the use of SomaScan in drug discovery and development.
- 2019
Physician-directed health-information tests launch in Colorado
[1]SomaLogic began commercially offering health-information tests based on SomaScan to prescribing physicians in Colorado.
- 2018
Clinical collaboration in the United Kingdom
[1]SomaLogic teamed with the Leeds Centre for Personalised Health and Medicine to test SomaScan in United Kingdom clinical studies.
- 2018
Roy Smythe becomes chief executive
[1]Roy Smythe replaced Alister Reynolds as chief executive.
- 2017
SomaScan reaches approximately 4,200 analytes
[1]The platform's reported multiplexing scale increased to about 4,200 protein analytes.
- 2017
Leadership changes
[1]Byron Hewett stepped down as chief executive and Alister Reynolds, previously a board member, became chief executive.
- 2017
SomaLogic joins the iCarbonX Digital Life Alliance
[1]SomaLogic joined the iCarbonX Digital Life Alliance, alongside an investment by iCarbonX.
Products and positioning
High-throughput proteomics and protein-biomarker technology for pharmaceutical research, academic science, diagnostics development, and health monitoring.
Proteomics research platform
SomaScan platform
SomaScan was SomaLogic's principal proteomics platform. It used panels of SOMAmers, or modified aptamers, to bind target proteins in biological samples and generate measurements across large numbers of analytes. Researchers used the resulting data to study disease biology, identify biomarkers, support pharmaceutical research, and investigate diagnostic or health-monitoring applications. The platform's reported scale grew from 1,129 simultaneously measured analytes in 2013 to approximately 4,200 by 2017.
Modified-aptamer biomarker technology
SOMAmer technology
SOMAmers were modified aptamers designed to bind selected proteins. They formed the molecular binding basis of the SomaScan system, enabling multiplexed measurement of protein concentrations and changes in biological samples. The technology was positioned for biomarker discovery, drug-development research, and the development of diagnostic and health-information products.
Clinical and health-monitoring information · 2019
SomaScan health-information tests
SomaLogic packaged selected proteomic measurements and analytical insights into health-information tests for commercial and clinical-development use. In 2019, the company began offering such tests to prescribing physicians in Colorado. Related collaborations investigated applications including cardiovascular risk, tuberculosis, lung cancer, metabolic health, and other conditions.
Brand decisions
2024
Sell the company to Standard BioToolsM&ABackground
SomaLogic's independent public-company period ended as the company combined with Standard BioTools.
Action taken
Standard BioTools acquired SomaLogic in an all-stock transaction completed in January 2024.
Aftermath
SomaLogic ceased to operate as an independent company, with its proteomics technology becoming part of Standard BioTools.
2022
Acquire PalamedrixM&ABackground
SomaLogic sought complementary technologies that could extend its capabilities in life-science measurement and molecular analysis.
Action taken
In July 2022, SomaLogic agreed to acquire Palamedrix, a DNA nanotechnology company.
Aftermath
The transaction was intended to broaden SomaLogic's technology portfolio; the available reference material does not provide further integration details.
2021
Become a publicly listed company through a SPAC mergerM&ABackground
SomaLogic pursued access to public capital markets through a combination with CM Life Sciences II, a special-purpose acquisition company.
Action taken
The merger was completed in September 2021, and SomaLogic became listed on Nasdaq.
Aftermath
SomaLogic operated as a public company until its acquisition by Standard BioTools in 2024.
2019
Extend the Novartis drug-discovery relationshipStrategyBackground
SomaLogic and Novartis had maintained a long-term relationship involving SomaScan proteomics technology, including an earlier Novartis ownership stake.
Action taken
The companies entered a new ten-year agreement to use SomaScan in drug discovery and development.
Aftermath
The agreement reinforced pharmaceutical research as a major application area for SomaLogic's platform.
2019
Commercialize proteomic health informationStrategyBackground
SomaLogic began looking beyond platform access and research services toward commercial products based on the interpretation of proteomic data.
Action taken
The company began packaging proteomic insights as diagnostic information for other businesses and offered health-information tests on the SomaScan platform to prescribing physicians in Colorado.
Aftermath
This broadened SomaLogic's activities from research technology toward clinical and health-monitoring applications.
2013
Expand distribution and diagnostic development partnershipsStrategyBackground
SomaLogic sought to move its proteomics technology beyond internal development by working with commercial distributors and diagnostic organizations.
Action taken
The company partnered with Agilent Technologies to distribute SomaScan systems to American research and educational institutions and worked with Quest Diagnostics on an early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer blood-test program.
Aftermath
These relationships supported the platform's expansion into academic research and diagnostic-development settings.
Recent events
Reported
SomaLogic and Illumina partner on co-branded sequencing platform[2]
SomaLogic and Illumina entered a partnership to develop and bring to market a co-branded next-generation sequencing platform. Illumina will develop and deploy protein identification and measurement tools into laboratories worldwide.
Sources2 sources
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