Custom antibody services provide busy researchers with the expertise, supplies and labor necessary to produce antibodies for use in drug development, immunotherapy and other scientific pursuits. By taking advantage of these services, researchers can save themselves from the frustration and agony of making their own batch.
Antibodies serve as the homing devices of the immune system because of their ability to find and only bind to targets with a specific peptide sequence or shape. These antigens match up to the antibody’s specific binding regions, known as complementarity-determining regions, which make the human body’s 1 to 2 billion antibodies different from each other.
Once the genetically-programmed antibody binds to its target, it signals the immune system to destroy the bacteria, virus or other foreign agent. The attached antibody also stimulates the production of more antibodies similar to itself. That’s why in 1890 antibodies to diphtheria toxin was successful in protecting against a lethal dose of diphtheria toxin. Since this Nobel-winning discovery by Emil von Behring of Marburg University in Germany, physicians have used antibodies as treatment and immunization.
After several decades of development, labs can now produce aliquots of purified antibodies of two types: monoclonal and polyclonal. Monoclonal antibodies are derived from cells that are genetically identical, which produce antibodies that are specific for the same antigens. Polyclonal antibodies are made by animals so that serum that is collected contains the antibody of the target antigen, but also of antigens to which the animal has been exposed to previously.
Polyclonal antibodies are less expensive to produce. They can be made faster and in larger quantities than monoclonal antibodies, the production of which involves a process of cell fusion and selection. But the work and cost is well worth it for researchers who need the specificity and result reproducibility that they can obtain from monoclonal antibodies.
Custom services will use either your own peptide or other antigen, such as a drug or protein. Or, they can find an appropriate peptide sequence in the protein that you want to target with the resulting antibody. Employing a custom service, such as those below, frees you from having to fine tune all the many essential details required to successfully make antibodies that will bind tightly enough to the antigens. The process takes at least two months. In the end, the companies usually provide you with a package of items: serum taken from the animal prior to antigen exposure; serum taken after antigen exposure; the peptide that was used as the antigen, assay results and the antibody. You can also purchase packages that provide you with just the antiserum, which you can test and purify in your own lab.
Rockland has extensive experience producing antibodies (Monoclonal and Polyclonal) and they offer services that are highly customized to your specific requirements. Rockland provides a comprehensive service which includes all steps of antibody production from protein expression/peptide synthesis to in vivo & in vitro production. Rockland's custom antibody service department has extensive experience in generating high-titer, high-affinity antibody to a wide variety of antigens. Their staff is ready to assist you in experimental design, laboratory methods, production, purification and conjugation.
Bethyl specializes in custom antibodies and custom affinity purified antibodies, whether they be anti-peptide antibodies, phospho-specific antibodies, or antibodies to your protein. Bethyl offers thirty years of experience and expertise to you at reasonable costs and assure you that the work will be done to your satisfaction and in a timely manner. Their service is complete from initial peptide synthesis to isolation and labeling of your specific antibody.
With 10 years of experience serving customers in the biotechnology communities around the world BioChain has developed its reliable, time and cost efficient service for making custom monoclonal antibodies. Guaranteed success rate: Immunization of 10 Balb/c mice; 30 selected clones sent to customers; a free second fusion if the first fusion fails; frozen spleen for backup; no charge if unsuccessful. Comprehensive validation tools: Patent pending high-throughput western blot TM, tissue array, across-species tissues and their lysates extracted with proprietary Dr. P technology (Genomic DNA, RNA, and Protein are isolated simultaneously from the same piece of tissue or cell aliquot). Complete high production service: Immunogen can be provided by customers or be made from cDNA cloning to recombinant protein; up to 500 fusions can be made per year. BioChain offers the most competitive prices on the market. Customers can track their order status online at all times.
NeoClone has a proprietary method to rapidly develop monoclonal antibodies to your antigen of interest. This cost-effective approach generates high affinity, monoclonal antibodies with IgG isotypes and stable cell lines in as little as three months. Because of this capability a large number of cell lines (20+) can be generated for evaluation in the same timeframe. Another advantage is throughput - NeoClone can manage and deliver on as many as 500 projects per month. Please contact sales@neoclone.com or visit NeoClone's website for more information.
