Harnessing our extensive experience in assay design, immunology, cellular and molecular biology, we design modality agnostic platform screening systems to suit your needs. Our goal is to provide you with high-quality data to select validated leads that you can have confidence in progressing. 

We apply a multi-tier screening lead selection process tailored to your molecule, focusing on binding, functionality and finally disease/clinical translation: 

• Screen preparation: Tool and assay development relevant to your molecule
• Medium to high throughput binding assessments (ELISA, SPR, cell-based flow cytometry) Plate-based functional assays (signalling reporter cells, blocking ELISA) 
• Functional assays using primary cells and co-culture models

The tools that enable us

Our custom reagents and proprietary technologies

• A range of luciferase and target-expressing cell lines produced in house 
• A portfolio of in house developed signaling reporter cell lines
• Rapidly customisable cell line platforms – we can insert your gene of interest into a qualified cell line to create a target cell line expressing your target of interest but with known susceptibility to the effector mechanism under test
• Availability of target cells with positive control antigen and benchmark molecule to provide unequivocal demonstration of positive and negative effector function
• Access to the STR Fc-silencing platform for use as true negative controls in Fc receptor or C1q based binding and effector assays 
• High quality, pure and reproducible Fc receptors produced in house; 15 different Fcγ receptors and FcRn (human, cynomolgus and mouse).

Step 1: Screening for target interactions, binding

Target / molecule interactions; ELISA, SPR, and target-on-cell/molecule interactions; flow cytometry 
Using our bioanalytical SPR or extensive knowledge of ELISA methods gained from developing GMP-ready potency assays (Learn more in Product Characterisation), we can screen hundreds of candidates, identifying the leads that interact with your target in a rapid fashion. Services include….

• SPR – Employing Biacore 8K technology, we offer a solution for high throughput interaction analysis, allowing ranking, kinetics, affinity and epitope binning
• ELISA – Reliable and cost-effective, custom assay development in 384-well based format
• AlphaScreen and AlphaLisa - Homogenous assay platforms with excellent dynamic range compatible with low to high affinity binding interactions; 384-well based formats
• Flow cytometry binding assessments – Cell-based platform assays.

Step 2: Screening for target modulation, plate-based functional assays

Blocking assays, receptor signaling reporter systems and primary immune cell assays
Functional screens are the first step towards demonstrating biological relevance, yet at this stage, there is an aim to maintain the throughput-capacity of a binding screen. Customers come to us to perform complementary binding and functional screens to inform data-rich decision making

• Blocking ELISAs or homogenous assays (AlphaScreen or AlphaLisa) – Our extensive experience in bioanalytical assay design allows the development of robust and accurate custom assay systems
• Receptor signalling reporter assays - We have an extensive portfolio of in-house developed reporter systems in 384-well thaw & go formats for use in functional screens. Our molecular biology experts can develop a custom reporter system that reflects any MoA 
• Miniaturised effector function assays – Immune effector assays employing primary immune cells, including antibody effector functions, ADCC, ADCP, CDC, T-cell mediated cytolysis assays and Mixed Lymphocyte Reactions (MLRs) in 96- and 384- well based formats
• High content immune cell function assays – We interrogate how your molecules affect the immune system by employing multiparameter methodologies and physiologically relevant systems such as in vitro T cell exhaustion models, Treg suppression assays and macrophage polarisation protocols, T cell mediated target cell cytolysis and antigen specific T cell recall assays. Explore our interactive microenvironment to learn more.