Carterra® Announces Successful Immunity Monitoring of COVID-19 Patients Using a SARS-CoV-2 Label-Free Assay
A new SARS-CoV-2 spike protein biosensor chip was successfully deployed for simultaneous measurements of IgG, IgA, and IgM using only 2 µl of serum per patient
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — August 17, 2020 — Carterra® Inc., the world leader in high-throughput antibody screening and characterization, has announced the availability of a highly accurate assay for simultaneously measuring the concentration and binding of IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. Carterra’s new label-free assay provides, for the first time, detailed resolution of the immune response of patients recovering from COVID-19 in a single assay and represents a significant development for clinical research teams studying immune responses to SARS-CoV-2. A peer-reviewed paper describing this assay is pending publication in Nature Communications and a preprint of this groundbreaking research can be accessed on Research Square. The new SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein RBD SPR Biosensor Chip can be used for COVID-19-related antibody therapeutics screening, vaccine development, and serology-based clinical research applications. The assay and chip run on Carterra’s revolutionary LSA™ high-throughput Surface Plasmon Resonance (HT-SPR™) biosensor platform.
Carterra’s LSA platform is the new gold standard in drug discovery research for investigating antibodies and immune responses. The LSA combines patented flow printing microfluidics with HT-SPR, providing simultaneous screening and characterization with full binding kinetic profiles. The LSA platform is employed around the world by dozens of biopharmaceutical, academic, and government labs and was selected by The Gates Foundation to screen and characterize therapeutic antibody candidates for COVID-19. Some antibody candidates discovered and characterized using the LSA have now entered human clinical trials.
The company is developing additional SARS-CoV-2-related assays for its high-throughput LSA platform. These include an assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 RBD mutations that could reduce the efficacy of an antibody therapeutic or vaccine, as well as a comprehensive panel for the in-depth study of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2. An array of SARS-CoV-2 proteins, subdomains, and peptides will give researchers the most comprehensive insight into serum immune reactivity, specificity, and epitope binding.
“The pandemic has forced the scientific community to find ways to discover and develop therapeutics and vaccines at light speed,” said Chris Silva, Carterra’s vice president of global marketing and product. “Carterra’s LSA and emerging assay portfolio are well positioned to enable this paradigm shift. Our new assay for measuring the concentration and binding of IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies in COVID-19 patients and the availability of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein RBD SPR Biosensor Chip are the latest innovations.”