Antigen Discovery

Antigen Discovery: The Key First Step in Vaccine Development

The first step in vaccine development is antigen discovery, a process that determines whether the vaccine can successfully stimulate a protective immune response. Pathogen-associated molecules can induce a specific immune response in the host, and the core goal of antigen discovery is to identify these molecules in order to prevent infection.

Antigen discovery typically begins with the screening of candidate antigens. High-throughput technologies (such as phage display technology or proteomics) are used to identify molecules that bind specifically to antibodies from the pathogen, which then helps to identify potential candidate antigens. These candidate antigens are further subjected to immunogenicity testing to assess whether they can trigger an immune response. To ensure the safety and efficacy of the antigen in the vaccine, gene editing technologies may be employed to optimize the antigen and eliminate any potential adverse effects. After optimization, the antigen is produced in a stable expression system to provide materials for subsequent vaccine trials. Finally, the protective effect of the candidate vaccine is tested in animal models to identify the most promising antigens and to assess whether they can generate effective protective antibodies.

Figure 1. Pneumococcal protein array and serological profiles of cohorts of sera samples. (Source: Olaya-Abril A, et al., 2015)

Our Protein Biochips in Antigen Discovery

Creative Diagnostics' protein biochip platform offers accurate and efficient solutions for multiple stages of antigen discovery.

As a versatile, high-throughput tool, our protein biochips can simultaneously detect the expression levels of various pathogen-associated antigens and their binding capabilities with antibodies, providing strong technical support for antigen screening and validation. We believe that by using our technology platform, researchers can rapidly identify immunogenic antigens, significantly shortening the development cycle for your candidate antigens.

In immunogenicity research, protein biochip technology enables the efficient screening of multiple candidate antigens, combined with immunoreaction analysis, helping researchers better understand the relationship between antigen structure and function.

Additionally, our technology can assess the characteristics of modified antigens during the optimization stage, providing reliable data to support the design and optimization of the vaccine. Finally, during antigen expression and production, Creative Diagnostics' protein biochips can assist in evaluating the purity and functional activity of the produced samples, ensuring smooth progression of vaccine trials.

Array Example

Array Design	Example Antigen/Protein Combination	Target Application	Possible Sample Preparation
Broad Proteome Array	- Entire set of pathogen proteins (e.g., ~100–300 for a bacterium, ~10–50 for a virus) - Selected surface/extracellular proteins	1. Discovery of novel immunoreactive proteins 2. Identification of immunodominant targets for vaccines or diagnostics	- In vitro: Supernatants from stimulated B-cell or T-cell cultures exposed to a specific pathogen extract; these supernatants can contain secreted antibodies/cytokines - In vivo: Sera/plasma from infected or immunized animals/humans
Targeted Multi-Epitope	- 20–50 known or putative antigens (e.g., from literature or prior screens) - Overlapping peptides covering each region	1. Refinement of candidate list from broader proteome array 2. Quick screening of known vaccine candidates against multiple immune sera samples	- In vitro: Supernatants from PBMCs or splenocytes restimulated with each candidate protein/peptide - In vivo: Sera from vaccinated animals at multiple timepoints (day 7, 14, 21, etc.)
Epitope Scanning Array	- Peptides (8–20 aa) systematically overlapping one or more proteins of interest - Could be full scanning of a single high-priority antigen	1. Fine mapping of B-cell or T-cell epitopes 2. Determination of minimal epitope sequences	- In vitro: T-cell proliferation/cytokine release assays (co-cultures of T cells + APCs + array peptides) - In vivo: Sera from immunized animals, then tested for Ig binding to each peptide spot

Our Technological Advantages

Creative Diagnostics' protein biochip technology exhibits strong capabilities and unique advantages at each stage of antigen discovery:

Our platform has the ability to simultaneously detect multiple target molecules, handling hundreds of candidate antigens in a single run, significantly improving screening efficiency.
Combining near-infrared fluorescence labeling technology, our protein biochips achieve picomolar-level sensitivity, accurately detecting low-abundance antigens while ensuring high detection specificity and avoiding data interference.
Our technology platform not only supports antigen detection but also enables multi-dimensional immunoreaction analysis, providing comprehensive data on the immunogenicity, stability, and immune response induction of antigens.
Additionally, we offer fully customized services, designing exclusive chip content and detection schemes based on specific client needs, helping customers achieve breakthroughs from antigen screening to vaccine development.

Choose us!

Compared to traditional detection technologies, our protein biochips have significant advantages in high-throughput detection, sensitivity, data integration, and application flexibility. Whether for basic research, vaccine development, or industrial-scale production, our technology provides reliable support. Creative Diagnostics is committed to offering cutting-edge technological support for vaccine research and development. For more information or to inquire about custom services, please contact us!

Reference

Olaya-Abril A, et al. A pneumococcal protein array as a platform to discover serodiagnostic antigens against infection. Research. 2015;14(10):2591-2608.

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