Integral Molecular Awarded $9.1 Million Contract from NIAID to Map Epitopes on Viral Pathogens using Shotgun Mutagenesis Mapping
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Integral Molecular Awarded $9.1 Million Contract from NIAID to Map Epitopes on Viral Pathogens using Shotgun Mutagenesis Mapping
Philadelphia, PA. November 1, 2009 /BUSINESS WIRE/--Integral Molecular, Inc. has been selected to receive a five year, $9.1 million contract from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, to elucidate novel B cell epitopes on the surface of viral pathogens.
Integral Molecular’s Shotgun Mutagenesis Mapping technology will be used to identify both linear and conformational epitopes on viral envelope proteins. By helping to define the full range of immunodominant structures on viral pathogens, Shotgun Mutagenesis will facilitate the design and development of improved vaccines against emerging infectious diseases. This is the second NIH award recently received by Integral Molecular for epitope mapping services.
“Understanding the full range of viral epitopes targeted by the human immune system is vital to designing better viral vaccines,” said Dr. Benjamin Doranz, President of Integral Molecular. “This project will result in hundreds of new human antibodies against important viral proteins, high resolution epitope maps describing how these antibodies bind to their targets, and structural information about how these viral proteins function.”
Shotgun Mutagenesis Mapping analyzes hundreds to thousands of variants of a target protein, each variant containing a unique amino acid substitution, to rapidly identify the binding residues that form antibody epitopes. This technology is well suited for epitope mapping viral envelope proteins, which usually form complex oligomeric structures and contain post-translational modifications that require expression within mammalian cells to retain their native conformation. Because Shotgun Mutagenesis maps functional proteins directly within living human cells, target proteins do not require purification or extraction from their native environment.
About Integral Molecular
Integral Molecular is a biotechnology company committed to providing innovative solutions for research and drug discovery applications involving membrane proteins. Integral Molecular was founded in 2001 and is located at the University City Science Center Research Park in Philadelphia. The company provides membrane protein-related products that help meet the scientific needs of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic laboratories. Integral Molecular offers Shotgun Mutagenesis Mapping services on a fee-for service basis to the research community. More information about Shotgun Mutagenesis Mapping technology and Integral Molecular can be found at: www.integralmolecular.com.
Contact:
Benjamin Doranz
Integral Molecular, Inc.
215-966-6061
info@integralmolecular.com
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