Expanded HLA-DQ testing supports improved transplant decisions

Advances in transplant medicine are driving demand for more detailed analysis of the immune responses that can determine whether a donor organ is accepted or rejected. In response, Thermo Fisher Scientific has expanded its HLA antibody testing portfolio with a new assay designed to give laboratories a more complete picture of transplant compatibility.

The company has introduced LABScreen™ Single Antigen HLA Class II ExPlex – Group 2, a new addition to its established LABScreen™ platform that significantly expands coverage of HLA-DQ antibodies, an increasingly important focus area in transplant diagnostics.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody testing plays a central role in assessing immunological risk before and after transplantation. Traditionally, testing has focused on identifying antigen-level reactivity, but growing evidence suggests that more detailed epitope- and eplet-based analysis can provide deeper insight into alloimmune responses and help clinicians better predict transplant outcomes.

The newly expanded assay adds 27 additional HLA-DQ antigens and heterodimer combinations to the existing panel, creating a 51-bead extended panel capable of assessing up to 146 Class II Single Antigen Beads within a single well. This expanded coverage allows laboratories to investigate increasingly complex antibody profiles, particularly in sensitised patients and challenging transplant cases.

“HLA-DQ antibodies have become an area of increasing clinical focus, with growing evidence linking them to transplant rejection,” said Dave Lowe, Senior Director, Research and Development, Transplant Diagnostics, Thermo Fisher Scientific. 

A key advantage of the new panel is its smooth integration into existing laboratory workflows. The assay can be combined directly with established LABScreen Single Antigen testing without adding extra processing time or requiring laboratories to invest in additional instrumentation, retrain staff or redesign established testing protocols.

Available in the European Union under IVDR regulations, the expanded panel is aimed at histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratories, transplant centres and clinicians seeking more comprehensive data to support donor matching decisions and improve long-term transplant monitoring.

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