On the Spot: Multiplex FluoroSpot-Based Testing in Clinical Evaluation of Vaccines and Novel Immunotherapeutics

The accelerated arrival of novel vaccines and immunotherapies into the clinical space spurred the emergence of fields like personalized medicine, immune profiling and immuno-monitoring built around increasingly sophisticated testing platforms. Among them, immunoassays in the ELISpot (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSpot) family are the most frequently used functional assays for single-cell analysis. A relatively recent addition in the clinical testing space is that of multiplexed FluoroSpot assays, which enable simultaneous measurement of different analytes. Traditional challenges of colorimetric ELISpot assays are, to some extent, magnified during the validation of multiplex FluoroSpot assays and routine sample testing. The new multidimensionality of the data is also a factor to consider. The innovative take on the field at Covance's Vaccine and Novel Immunotherapeutic Laboratory will be presented and discussed during this presentation.