New Reagent Solution for Immunohistochemistry

Aptamer Group plc, a company that specialises in developing Optimer® binders for the life sciences industry, has announced the creation of a new reagent, Optimer®-Fc, which is designed for use in automated immunohistochemistry (IHC) workflows.

Optimer-Fc combines an Optimer binder with the Fc domain of an antibody, making it an alternative to primary detecting antibodies in IHC applications. With the broad range of target options available, the Optimer-Fc can be used to pursue both existing and novel disease biomarkers, providing greater accuracy and selectivity in detection.

IHC is currently the gold standard test for clinical diagnostics, including cancer, and is increasingly being used with personalised medicine approaches. However, the major players in the IHC field are facing a significant challenge due to the imminent expiry of current patents for IHC antibodies, leading to an expected decrease in revenue and profitability. Aptamer's innovative Optimer-Fc reagent addresses this issue and is being validated by one of the top three companies in the IHC market, with negotiations underway with two top 10 pharmaceutical companies seeking to trial Optimer-Fc.

Aptamer is also collaborating with four of the top ten pharma companies and additional biotech partners to develop Optimer binders for IHC, creating a deep pipeline of potential future products to advance research and diagnostics in the life sciences industry. Dr Arron Tolley, Aptamer's CEO, notes that Optimer-Fc addresses an urgent need in the IHC market for new patentable reagents and provides the ability to pursue new targets that were previously intractable with antibodies, opening up further opportunities for emerging biomarkers in research and diagnostics.

More information online