Bispecific Antibodies
Bispecific Antibodies continue to play a central role in cancer treatment and immune-based therapeutics.
Our Bispecific Antibodies Services help sponsors characterize biological activity and therapeutic potential through:
These studies provide the evidence needed to advance the most promising antibody candidates.
Characterization
Bispecific antibodies bring unique complexity — simultaneously engaging two targets, often driving potent immune activation while increasing the risk of off-target effects, cytokine release, and functional imbalance. To address this, we offer an integrated evaluation strategy that connects all critical assays across your development workflow. We start with precise target binding characterization to ensure both arms retain optimal affinity and specificity, followed by functional assessment through cell-based potency assays and effector mechanisms such as ADCC, ADCP, and CDC where relevant. Using co-culture systems, we further evaluate immune synapse formation and killing efficiency, supported by real-time analysis on the IncuCyte platform. Given the higher risk of immune activation with bispecifics, we perform detailed CRS and immunogenicity assessments using PBMC-based systems, including proliferation assays such as CFSE. Where applicable, we also assess internalization and downstream activity to understand mechanism-of-action in a biological context. This connected approach ensures that data from each assay informs the next — giving you a clear, end-to-end understanding of how your bispecific behaves, and enabling confident progression toward clinical development
Cytokine Release Syndrome
Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immunogenicity are critical liabilities that can derail otherwise promising biologics, especially in T cell–engaging formats and immune modulators. Early assessment in human-relevant systems is essential to understand and mitigate this risk.
We evaluate these responses using human PBMC-based assays, capturing both acute cytokine release and longer-term immune activation. CRS risk is assessed by exposing PBMCs to the test article and measuring cytokine induction profiles alongside immune cell activation, providing an early indication of exaggerated immune responses.
For immunogenicity, we monitor T cell proliferation and activation using the CFSE assay, where dye dilution enables precise quantification of proliferative responses. This is complemented with phenotypic and functional readouts using flow cytometer, allowing detailed characterization of responding cell populations.
Together, these assays provide a clear picture of how your molecule interacts with the human immune system — identifying potential safety risks early and supporting rational design, dose selection, and de-risking of clinical development
