High-Resolution HLA-typed Primary Cell Lots to Support Biologic Drug Research Announced

Lonza has announced that it now provides an expansive selection of high-resolution Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-typed primary cells spanning all major cell and tissue types. The ready-typed lots will eliminate the need for burdensome in-house sequencing processes and provide drug developers with a critical tool for the more effective development of personalised therapies. Nearly 50 different cell types are available from Lonza’s broad donor inventory, with detailed HLA data derived from gold-standard next-generation sequencing techniques. The new offering builds on Lonza’s renowned human primary cell capabilities to meet rapidly growing market demand for deeper and more comprehensive cell characterisation.

HLA data is critical for preclinical exploration of cross-reactivities and off-target drug effects. HLA information is also needed for the development of engineered biotherapeutic T cell receptors and antibodies, better patient stratification to optimise the clinical effectiveness of cancer therapies, and is fundamental for the development of new cancer vaccines.

However, screening cell lots for HLA type can be lengthy and cumbersome to conduct in-house, and there is no guarantee that unscreened purchased lots will be the desired HLA type. Further, many vendors are only able to offer lots with lower-resolution HLA information obtained from serological typing methods, which can lead to incomplete HLA matching and poorer predictivity of in vitro models as a result. Being able to select lots with the desired high-resolution HLA data thus confidently enables a time- and cost-efficient preclinical development and boosts chances of drug development success.

Having previously offered HLA-typing services to its customers on a custom basis, Lonza is now providing high-resolution HLA information at no additional cost for a wide selection of its cell lots. With a diverse donor inventory that includes different age groups, genders, and ethnicities, a broad range of donor cell lots with various HLA types are currently available, including HLA-A2*01.