** Brokerage Leerink Partners downgrades diagnostic company Quanterix QTRX.O to "market perform" from "outperform", citing amended deal with Akoya AKYA.O "still distracts from core" and creates challenges in the market

** Brokerage also lowers PT to $8 from $12, a 32.2% upside to the stock's last close

** Brokerage doubts QTRX can successfully integrate AKYA while dealing with its own supply-chain and tariff issues

** AKYA's spatial proteomics business is in a "soft patch" in the market, with 15% revenue drop in 2024, posing an additional challenge for QTRX - Leerink

** Adds that QTRX faces another challenge as "tariff risk is modest" but still requires them to reassess and adjust their supply chain amid trade uncertainty

** Says QTRX faces "pressures in their core academic markets" and "pharma pullback in funding"

(Reporting by Kamal Choudhury in Bengaluru)

((Kamal.Choudhury@thomsonreuters.com;))