Lonza introduces services for rational vaccine design and development
Aims to help reduce the cost of failure and increase the chance of clinical success
To help address the growing costs and long development timelines facing vaccine manufacturers, Lonza has launched the Vaccine Design and Development Services Platform. Allowing companies to focus on the most promising vaccine candidates early in the process can help reduce time and costs, maximising R&D resources.
The platform includes in silico and in vitro tools to accelerate the design and assessment of vaccine candidates for their ability to provoke an effective immune response. Epibase In Silico (IS) is a predictive tool driven by structural bioinformatics in conjunction with experimental data. This tool can predict potential peptide/HLA binding, which can be used to rationally design an efficacious vaccine.
The Epibase In Vitro (IV) screening services include a wide range of assays designed to assess immune responses raised by vaccine candidates. High-quality peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from human donors are used, allowing for the comparison and ranking of candidates in healthy and/or specific diseased populations. A wide variety of antigens, including whole proteins, protein complexes, peptides, viruses, Virus Like Particles (VLPs), virosomes, and adjuvants can be tested with the Epibase IV tools.
As in vitro testing requires milligram quantities of vaccine candidates, Lonza offers the Light Path Custom Material Supply Service for small-scale production of proteins. The Light Path Discovery Service is a streamlined process that can provide sufficient product for in vitro assessment of vaccine immunogenicity.
'Offering vaccine developers the predictive tools and services they need to assess their candidates for the ability to elicit an appropriate immune response, can help them optimise their R&D efforts and bring successful vaccines to the market,' said Anne Hays, Head of Lonza's Custom Development Services Organisation.
