The study was conducted in crossbreed feedlot beef cattle, expanding the body of published Pictor PictVet M. bovis research from dairy cattle into beef production settings. The Texas A&M research team, led by Robert Valeris-Chacin, Ph.D., evaluated archived nasopharyngeal swab samples from 100 crossbreed feedlot steers (50 positive and 50 negative for M. bovis DNA via digital qPCR). Using a Latent Class Analysis (LCA) model developed by the investigators to establish study cutoffs and assessing K-0310 and K-0320 antigens in parallel, the Pictor platform demonstrated 97.59% accuracy, 100% sensitivity and 95.18% specificity using the multiplex panel. The panel also demonstrated excellent inter-operator reproducibility with kappa coefficients ranging from 0.894 to 1.0 and reliably identified positive samples at a 1:2 dilution. 

"I was particularly impressed by the robustness of the data—results were highly reproducible and easy to interpret, even with complex sample types like archived bovine nasopharyngeal swabs. Pictor has clearly developed a well-engineered and scientifically sound tool for antibody detection," said Valeris-Chacin, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University

"Independent research from leading academic institutions plays an important role in advancing our understanding of how targeted proteomic approaches may contribute to livestock health monitoring. This study demonstrates the feasibility of measuring M. bovis -associated antibody responses from nasopharyngeal swab samples and adds to the growing body of research evaluating targeted proteomic approaches across animal health applications," said Jamie Platt, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder, Pictor Holdings.

This publication represents the fourth independent peer-reviewed publication on the applications of the Pictor platform in livestock health monitoring during 2025–2026, following earlier published research on the platform's application to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in dairy cattle. This work builds on the foundational assay development research led by Pictor Chief Scientific Officer Yoichi Furuya, Ph.D., whose prior publications established the scientific basis for the Pictor PictVet M. bovis IgG assay. Together, the publications contribute to a growing body of research supporting targeted proteomic approaches for livestock health monitoring.

Key findings from the Texas A&M study include:

• Performance characteristics: 97.6% overall accuracy using LCA-based cutoffs, with 100% sensitivity and 95.2% specificity when K-0310 and K-0320 antigens were evaluated in parallel.
• Non-invasive sampling: The assay was tested using nasopharyngeal swab washes, providing a practical and minimally invasive alternative to blood-based sampling for monitoring mucosal immune responses in cattle herds.
• Reproducibility: Excellent inter-operator agreement across independent runs, with kappa coefficients of 0.894 to 1, supporting consistent results across different laboratory personnel.
• Analytical sensitivity: Reliable detection of positive samples at a 1:2 dilution factor, meeting the 95% target probability threshold for both cutoff schemes evaluated.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology and Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, with funding support from Pictor. Pictor continues to support research evaluating PictVet applications in additional cattle populations.

This study represents a proof-of-concept evaluation using archived samples from a specific cohort of crossbreed feedlot steers. The authors note that further validation may be required to generalize findings to other cattle groups. The Pictor platform is for research use only (RUO) and is not intended for clinical or veterinary decision-making.

Source: Pictor Holdings Inc.