We continue to earn the trust of our industry leading clients, as we have since 1998. We build valued relationships by delivering accurate information within tight timeframes. We are currently seeking service contracts as well as collaborations.

Vaccine Design and Redesign

We use computational immunology to screen protein sequences for T cell epitopes. After predicted epitopes have been confirmed in vitro, they can be engineered into immunogenic constructs.

De-immunization

PreDeFT and DeFT are a comprehensive suite of tools and services for the de-immunization of therapeutics

PreDeFT

Preclinical Screening for Immunogenicity 

PreDeFT is a concise report describing the potential immunogenicity of your protein or peptide sequence(s). In a PreDeFT report we rank your protein or peptide sequence(s) against other known immunogenic and non immunogenic proteins. The PreDeFT analysis also identifies specific regions contained within your protein or peptide sequence (referred to as epitope clusters) that have the potential to trigger an immune response. Unintended immune responses are a primary concern of the FDA in reviewing submissions for biologic IND’s. To complete a PreDeFT analysis we parse the input sequences into overlapping 9-mer frames where each frame overlaps the last by 8 amino acids. Each frame is then assessed for its ability to bind with a set of common HLA. These detailed findings are then summarized producing regional and overall assessments of immunogenic potential. Finally, any epitope clusters identified are screened against the non-redundant protein database at GenBank and EpiVax’s own database of known MHC ligands and T-cell epitopes. A listing of significant homologies identified during this process is included in our report. EpiVax’s PreDeFT analysis can be used to support your IND filing, increasing the likelihood of a favorable review. The in silico analysis can be validated in vitro and in vivo (using our proprietary HLA binding assays and HLA transgenic mice) should the client wish to go beyond in silico screening.

DeFT™

De-immunization of Functional Therapeutics

Protect Your Therapeutic from Immune System Response

The FDA has suggested that protein therapeutics developers assess and manage unwanted immunogenicity. DeFT™ is cost effective and highly accurate in establishing and eliminating the immunogenic risks hidden within your protein therapeutic or biologic. Our deimmunization strategy is focused on the identification and elimination of T-cell epitopes contained within your candidate sequence.

DeFT™ is a tested process of analysis, reengineering and confirmation. We provide critical immunogenic data about your protein therapeutic. In cases where functional sequences are also immunogenic, we identify key amino acid residues that are crucial to MHC binding. Minimal modification of a few non-functional amino acid residues may be all that is needed to protect your effective therapeutic from an immune response.

Working with your protein engineers we recommend deimmunized analogs to immunogenic sequences that will have minimal effect on 3D structure and functionality.

If exposed blood samples are available, we offer T-cell restimulation assays (ELISpot) to confirm the immunogenicity of sample sequences and the deimmunization of their sequence analogs. We are equipped to test your original protein and its deimmunized analog for immunogenicity in transgenic mice expressing human MHC molecules. This is an inexpensive and reliable alternative to a premature return to Phase I Trials.

At EpiVax we understand the scientific, financial and regulatory challenges faced by developers of biological therapeutics because we are in the same business. We have built our reputation by delivering accurate information within tight timeframes to today’s industry leaders. DeFT is a proven life-saver to functional therapeutics that would otherwise never survive Clinical Trials.

Contact EpiVax today for more information on how DeFT can serve your therapeutic development goals.