Olink Proteomics

Olink Proteomics

Overview

Olink Proteomics

Overview

Olink Proteomics, headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden, is a life sciences company that has pioneered the proximity extension assay (PEA) technology for high-multiplex protein biomarker analysis. Founded in 2004 as a spinout from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Uppsala University, Olink has become a leading platform for proteomics research in neurodegeneration, enabling researchers to simultaneously measure hundreds to thousands of proteins from limited sample volumes. The company's technology is widely used in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ALS, and other neurodegenerative conditions for biomarker discovery, patient stratification, and therapeutic target identification. [@olink2024]

Company Background

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Headquarters | Uppsala, Sweden |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Stock | NASDAQ Stockholm (OLINK) |
| CEO | Jon Heimer (as of 2024) |
| Focus | Multiplex proteomics, biomarker discovery, precision medicine |
| Key Platforms | Olink Focus, Olink Explore, Olink Target, Olink Signature |
| Website | olink.com |

Olink is recognized for its unique ability to run 92-plex or 1,536-plex protein measurements from a single microliter of sample, a capability that has transformed neurodegenerative disease research by enabling comprehensive proteomic profiling of CSF and plasma from large patient cohorts. The company's platform has been used in major initiatives including the [Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)](https://adni.loni.usc.edu/), the [Accelerating Medicines Partnership for Alzheimer's Disease (AMP-AD)](https://www.nia.nih.gov/research/amp-ad), and numerous independent investigator studies.

Proximity Extension Assay (PEA) Technology

Olink's core technology, proximity extension assay (PEA), is a high-multiplex immunoassay platform that combines the specificity of antibody-based detection with DNA-based quantification via real-time PCR or next-generation sequencing.

How PEA Works

Key Advantages

• Multiplexing: Up to 1,536 proteins from 1 μL of sample
• Sensitivity: Detection in the femtogram/mL range (10-100× improvement over conventional ELISA)
• High specificity: Dual-recognition design virtually eliminates false positives
• Low sample consumption: Critical for precious patient CSF and plasma samples
• Scalability: From 48-plex focused panels to 3,000+ proteome-wide discovery

Olink Platforms for Neurodegeneration Research

Olink Explore HT (High-Throughput Proteomics)

Olink Explore HT enables simultaneous measurement of ~3,000 proteins using the PEA Next Generation (PEA NG) chemistry. This platform has been extensively used in neurodegenerative disease research:

• AD plasma proteomics: Large-scale plasma profiling identifying novel AD risk signatures beyond established fluid biomarkers
• PD progression markers: Plasma proteome changes over time correlating with motor and cognitive decline
• ALS stratification: Subtype identification based on plasma protein modules
• FTD biomarkers: Novel protein signatures distinguishing genetic subtypes

Olink Explore 3072/384

These mid-tier platforms offer 3,072-plex or 384-plex panels, balancing breadth with throughput and cost for medium-scale cohort studies.

Olink Focus

Olink Focus allows custom panel design (up to 92-plex) using predefined or custom protein targets. Useful for:

• Targeted biomarker validation following discovery-phase findings
• Clinical trial patient stratification
• Disease monitoring and surrogate endpoint identification

Olink Signature

Olink Signature uses microfluidic qPCR for 384-plex protein measurement, offering rapid turnaround and lower cost for focused studies.

Key Applications in Neurodegeneration

Alzheimer's Disease

Olink proteomics has been central to AD biomarker discovery:

• Plasma proteome signatures: Ashton et al. (2024) used Olink Explore to identify plasma protein clusters that stratify AD from other dementias with high accuracy, identifying inflammation and synaptic modules as key discriminators. [@Assentof2024]
• Synaptic dysfunction markers: GFAP, NEFL, and synaptic proteins (SNPH, SV2A) measured via Olink correlate with cognitive decline and brain atrophy.
• Blood-brain barrier disruption: Proteins involved in BBB integrity (CLDN5, PECAM1) show altered levels in AD plasma via Olink screening.
• Gene-by-environment interactions: Olink proteomics in the [ADNI](/diseases/alzheimers-disease) cohort revealed how lifestyle factors modulate protein biomarkers.

Parkinson's Disease

• Beyer et al. (2023) used Olink plasma proteomics to identify protein modules associated with PD progression, demonstrating that inflammatory (CXCL10, CCL2) and metabolic (APOE, GDF15) proteins predict faster motor decline. [@bayer2023]
• α-Synuclein modulators: Olink screening identified proteins correlated with CSF α-synuclein, including LAMP2 and GBA.
• Prodromal PD detection: Early plasma protein changes in LRRK2 mutation carriers identified years before motor onset.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

• Staff et al. (2023) used Olink to profile plasma from 700+ ALS patients, identifying a 12-protein signature that discriminates ALS from mimics and predicts survival. [@staff2023]
• Biomarkers included NEFL, GFAP, CHIT1 (chitotriosidase), and several complement components.
• Olink proteomics revealed ALS subtypes based on immune activation vs. metabolism protein modules.

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)

• Olink panels for C9orf72, MAPT, and GRN mutation carriers have identified protein signatures preceding clinical onset.
• TDP-43 pathology-associated proteins (including TBDKS, FUS) measured via Olink correlate with CSF neurofilament levels.

Olink in Major Research Consortia

| Consortium | Olink Application |
|-----------|-----------------|
| ADNI | Plasma proteomics on 1,000+ subjects at multiple timepoints |
| AMP-AD | CSF and plasma proteome mapping for target discovery |
| BioFINDER (Sweden) | Longitudinal Olink profiling of AD, PD, and FTD cohorts |
| PROXIMA (EU) | ALS and PD multi-center proteomics |
| DIAN | Plasma proteome in autosomal dominant AD |
| PARS | Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative — Olink neurofilament panel |

Comparison with Other Proteomics Platforms

• vs. SomaLogic SomaScan: SomaLogic uses aptamer-based detection (SOMAscan) with 7,000-plex capability. Olink PEA offers higher specificity (dual antibody recognition), better suited for validation studies. SomaScan has higher percentage of off-target binding.
• vs. Quanterix Simoa: Simoa offers superior sensitivity for single analytes at very low concentrations but cannot multiplex at Olink's scale. Olink is preferred for discovery; Simoa for targeted validation.
• vs. MSD: Meso Scale Discovery offers multiplex electrochemical assays but at lower plex than Olink Explore.
• vs. Lumipulse: Fujirebio Lumipulse offers fully automated clinical diagnostic testing for specific biomarkers (p-tau217, Aβ42), whereas Olink is primarily a research-use platform for discovery and translational research.

Pipeline and Future Development

Olink's development roadmap includes:

• NULISA platform (under development): Next-generation ultra-sensitive assay achieving sub-femtogram sensitivity for ultra-rare proteins. Reported sensitivity improvement of 10-100× over current PEA for specific targets. [@bost2023]
• Clinical diagnostic assay development: Moving Olink-validated biomarkers onto CLIA-certified platforms for clinical use, particularly in collaboration with major diagnostic companies.
• Spatial proteomics integration: Combining Olink's plasma/CSF proteomics with spatial resolution approaches for tissue-level mechanistic insights.
• AI-driven biomarker panel optimization: Using machine learning to identify optimal biomarker combinations from high-dimensional Olink data.

Role in NeuroWiki Knowledge Graph

Olink Proteomics connects to multiple knowledge domains in NeuroWiki:

• Assay platforms: Links to [Quanterix Simoa](/technologies/quanterix-simoa), [Meso Scale Discovery](/technologies/meso-scale-discovery), and [Fujirebio Lumipulse](/companies/fujirebio-diagnostics) for comparative analysis.
• Biomarkers: Olink has validated hundreds of protein biomarkers in neurodegeneration — cross-link to [GFAP](/biomarkers/gfap), [NfL](/biomarkers/neurofilament-light), [GFAP](/biomarkers/gfap-biomarker-ad), [TREM2](/genes/trem2), and other neurodegeneration markers.
• Disease mechanisms: Links to inflammation (microglial activation), synaptic dysfunction, and metabolic pathways in AD and PD mechanism pages.
• Research consortia: Links to [ADNI](/diseases/alzheimers-disease), [AMP-AD](/diseases/alzheimers-disease), and other major programs.
• Companies: Links to [Roche](/companies/roche), [Fujirebio](/companies/fujirebio-diagnostics), and [Abbott Laboratories](/companies/abbott-laboratories) for comparative landscape.

References