Enhancing Biosensor Surface Functionalization for new applications in Drug Development & Production

抗体疗法是一类以合成抗体为活性成分的药物。它们为各种疾病提供高度有针对性和有效的治疗方法。由于抗体的复杂性，药物开发过程中的抗体分析面临着巨大的挑战。首先，评估它们的结合亲和力和特异性需要复杂的方法来确保最佳的治疗特性。其次，抗体的生产需要复杂的生产和监测，使得整个药物开发过程耗时和资源密集型。抗体主要在中央实验室进行分析，这可能会导致延迟获得结果，并阻碍实时决策。在更接近需求点的地方实施分散分析，将提供更快的周转时间和加速决策。六方Fab的仪器Bolt是专门为抗体的需求点分析而设计的。目前，Bolt仅限于使用纯化的解决方案。这意味着任何样品在分析前都必须经过去除不需要的物质或杂质的过程。许多不同领域的应用需要与原始介质兼容，即包含不同生物分子混合物的复杂样品，而不需要经过广泛的纯化。这种兼容性使该仪器能够在不同的环境中得到更广泛的应用。Hexgon Fab正在通过推出能够测量原油样品的新一代传感器来扩大其传感器产品组合。这些传感器的特点是涂有生物分子的电敏薄膜；这一过程被称为表面功能化。所采用的表面功能化是一种独特的蛋白质/石墨烯复合材料，提供了最佳的导电性，同时确保了低的非特定结合信号。为了确保产品的成功发布，必须确定实现理想表面功能化的最佳生产和存储条件。这包括测试各种生产方法，然后进行精确的化学分析，以评估表面功能化的特性。该项目与NPL合作，旨在评估不同生产工艺对表面功能化的影响。通过确定最有效的工艺条件，Hexgon Fab可以增强其传感器的性能，确保先进技术的成功开发。了解和优化表面涂层工艺将确保传感器表现出所需的灵敏度和特异性。凭借其测量粗样品的能力，这些传感器可以直接与粗介质对接，从而实现更准确和高效的抗体分析，而不需要广泛的纯化，最终节省时间和资源。

Antibody therapeutics are a class of drugs with synthetic antibodies as the active ingredient. They offer highly targeted and effective treatments for a wide range of diseases. The analysis of antibodies during drug development presents significant challenges due to their complexity. First, assessing their binding affinity and specificity necessitates intricate methods to ensure optimal therapeutic properties. Second, the production of antibodies demands sophisticated production and monitoring, making the entire drug development process time-consuming and resource intensive. Antibodies are predominantly analysed in central labs, which can lead to delays in obtaining results and hinder real-time decision-making. Implementing decentralized analysis closer to the point of need, will offer faster turnaround times and expedite decision-making.HexagonFab's instrument, Bolt, is specifically designed for point-of-need analysis of antibodies. Currently, Bolt is limited to working with purified solutions. This means that any sample must undergo a process to remove unwanted substances or impurities prior to analysis. Many applications in various fields necessitate compatibility with crude media, i.e. complex samples containing mixtures of different biomolecules without undergoing extensive purification. This compatibility allows for more versatile application of the instrument in diverse settings.HexagonFab is broadening its sensor portfolio by introducing a new generation of sensors capable of measuring crude samples. These sensors feature an electrically sensitive thin film coated with biomolecules; a process known as surface functionalization. The surface functionalization employed is a unique protein/graphene composite material, offering optimal electrical conductivity, while ensuring low non-specific binding signals.To ensure successful product launch, the optimal production and storage conditions for achieving the ideal surface functionalization must be identified. This includes testing of various production methods followed by precise chemical analysis to evaluate the properties of the surface functionalization. In collaboration with NPL, this project aims to evaluate the influence of different production processes on the surface functionalization. By identifying the most effective process conditions, HexagonFab can enhance the performance of its sensors and ensure the successful development of advanced technologies.Understanding and optimizing the surface coating process will ensure that the sensors exhibit the required sensitivity and specificity. With their ability to measure crude samples, these sensors can directly interface with crude media, allowing for more accurate and efficient antibody analysis without the need for extensive purification, ultimately saving time and resources.