In-house biomarker laboratory
CHDR has a fully equipped cell culture laboratory, with flow hoods, CO2 incubators, a flow cytometer, a magnetic cell sorter and a fluorescent microscope, run by a team of experienced bioanalytical staff. This offers the possibility to set up and apply cell-based systems for qualitative and quantitative characterisation of innate and adaptive immune responses, and the effect of (pharmacological) interventions.
In-house assays
CHDR has developed cell-based assays to investigate drug effects, both unintended (such as immune activation due to host cell proteins in biotherapeutics) and intended. In the latter case, the approach is mainly based on the induction of immune responses on primary human cells ex vivo, which can be applied as a cell-based pharmacodynamic assay in a clinical pharmacology study. Tests available include TLR2-4-5 challenges, inflammasome challenges, endosomal TLR challenges, and T-cell mediated challenges with neoantigens or recall antigens. Importantly, CHDR is experienced in the development and application of cell-based assays tailored to the mechanism of action of the investigational compound. Such an assay can be developed independently by CHDR, or in close collaboration with the sponsor’s preclinical scientists.
