Discussion of tools for pre-clinical R&D for vaccine and therapeutics.
One of the most powerful applications of flow cytometry is for evaluating drug and vaccine efficacy. Multiparameter flow cytometry relies on the use of fluid systems, fluorescent proteins, and optical systems to detect and collect fluorophore signals. When the technology first became available multiparameter meant 2 colors, today it can…
To address the urgent and immediate need for R&D tools for the fight against the public health threat from SARS-CoV-2, IBT Bioservices now offers a pseudotype virus system to assay inhibition of infectivity in a BSL-2 environment. Briefly, Vesicular Stomatitis virus (VSV) glycoprotein gene (G) has been substituted with SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein (rVSV pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 Spike). The recombinant rVSV-DG SARS-CoV-2 Spike has been incorporated into a convenient luciferase-based neutralization assay for evaluating the efficacy of drug candidates that target Spike-mediated infection (Figure 1). This system is similar to previously published and validated VSV pseudotype platform for Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus1,2,3.
The increasing rate of bacterial resistance creates a challenging environment for the development of therapies for bacterial infections. Bacterial skin infections are one of the leading manifestations of infectious diseases in the world. Staphylococcus aureus—both Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and Methicillin-Sensitive (MSSA) strains—is the leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections in the USA. It is the leading cause of hospital-associated (HA) and community-associated (CA) infections worldwide.
In recent years, animal-to-human crossovers have been observed with Nipah virus in Malaysia, and Ebola and Marburg viruses in Africa. SARS-CoV-2 is just one among three 21st century animal-to-human Coronavirus spillover events. Considering the high rate of mutation among RNA viruses, the number of animal coronaviruses, and the mixing of animals into densely populated areas spillover is not unexpected.
According to WHO statistics, seasonal influenza viruses cause 3-5 million cases of infection with 290,000-650,000 deaths worldwide each year. There are 4 types of seasonal influenza viruses. Types A (which can infect and be transmitted between birds and some mammals such as pigs and humans) and B (which only infects…
Troubleshooting immunoassays for adjuvanted vaccine products The safety record, affordability, and compatibility of aluminum to many antigens makes them a primary choice of adjuvant. Aluminum adjuvant compounds (such as aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) and aluminum phosphate (AlPO4)) help maintain the physical and chemical characteristics of antigens and increase their repository effect…
Superantigen toxins : Of cytokine storms and immune short-circuits -how do we combat the ensuing system blackout ? New research findings [1,2] suggest that dangerous bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are no longer able to interact and cause inflammation in target epithelial cells when CD40 specific molecules are genetically removed…
Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a Gram-positive bacterium that colonizes approximately one-third of the human population1. It causes a wide range of diseases from skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) to life-threatening systemic diseases such as bacteremia and pneumonia with high mortality rates2,3. Currently, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is killing as many people…
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are non-infectious nanoparticles that assemble from recombinantly expressed viral proteins but lack the viral genome required for replication and infection. Because they are non-infectious VLPs do not require the same level of biosafety containment as competent native viruses but retain the self-assembling and antigen-presenting capabilities that can…
