The Swiss next-generation bioanalytical instruments specialist announced a collaboration with Adriano Aguzzi, Professor for Neuropathology, University of Zurich, to characterise immunological responses to SARS-CoV-2 such as IgA, IgM and IgG antibodies, which signal whether an individual has been exposed to the coronavirus.
The collaboration aims to understand who has already been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and could, therefore, be immune. To identify these antibodies in blood samples, the Creoptix WAVEsystem, an extremely sensitive, label-free bioanalytical instrument that enables antibody detection in even pure serum or plasma, is to be used. “The threat posed by Covid-19 demands immediate actions to better understand the mechanisms of this virus in humans. We at Creoptix are tremendously excited and proud to support the efforts of Prof Aguzzi and his team, who are working on the front lines”, said Line Stigen Raquet, CEO, Creoptix. “We are committed to enabling hospitals and clinical researchers with high performance solutions to characterise binding affinity and kinetics of antibodies on SARS-CoV-2 in conditions closer to real life. The WAVEsystem’s combination of sensitivity and robustness may prove crucial in shedding light on antibody binding in serum and plasma”, added Stigen.
Creoptix said it is on a quest to accelerate diagnostics research and help understand immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. “Antibodies are formidable weapons against viruses and that’s the basis of all vaccines. However, antibodies can also facilitate the entry of viruses into cells, thereby causing friendly fire. One determinant of such behaviours is the affinity of antibodies for their targets”, said Prof Adriano Aguzzi. “In collaboration with Creoptix, we strive to determine the affinity of antisera from Covid-19 patients for their targets. We hope that such investigation may help understand why some patients recover fully from Covid-19 whereas others develop lethal disease.”
Headquartered in Wädenswil, near Zurich, Switzerland, Creoptix focusses on next-generation bioanalytical instruments for drug discovery and life sciences for both industry and academic research.
