10x Genomics launched Atera, a new in situ spatial biology platform at AACR 2026, pitching whole-transcriptome profiling with single-cell resolution at higher throughput than its Xenium system. The company said Atera is designed to reduce tradeoffs among throughput, sensitivity, and plex capacity that constrain spatial profiling. Atera is scheduled to start shipping in the second half of the year, with a list price of $495,000 and whole-transcriptome reagent costs of about $2,200 per sample. The system supports multiple slide formats and includes both a Whole Transcriptome Assay covering 18,000 genes and stackable targeted panels. 10x also introduced a cloud analysis platform for storage, analysis, visualization, and collaboration, and stated that select research institutions are participating through an early-access program. Service partners including Macrogen and Psomagen are expected to acquire multiple instruments. The platform’s arrival adds competitive pressure in spatial biology workflows, especially for groups prioritizing high-throughput whole-transcriptome readouts.