CELL PANELS FOR TESTING MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES

OPTIMAL EVALUATION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES (MAB) FREQUENTLYREQUIRES USE OF QUICK-FROZEN CELLS OR TISSUES NOT READILY AVAILABLE TO RESEARCH AND COMMERCIAL GROUPS. ASA RULE, INC.PLANS TO DEVELOP A RAPID SERVICE TO SCREEN MABS. THIS WILL REQUIRE THE AVAILABILITY OF WELL-ORGANIZED, QUICK-FROZEN PANELS OF NORMAL, BENIGN, AND MALIGNANT CELLS (DISAGGREGATESOR TISSUES) FROZEN AND MAINTAINED AT -80 DEGGEES(C) FOR RAPID SCREENING. WHEN FEASIBLE, THESE CELL SAMPLES WILL BE COVALENTLY LINKED TO GLASS. METHODOLOGIES WILL BE DEVELOPED (1) FOR CELL MESHING, MINCING, AND DISPERSAL FROM SOLID TISSUES OR TUMORS; (2) FORTISSUE PREPARATION BY ENZYME TREATMENT WITH COLLAGENASE, TRYPSIN, PAPAIN DNA-ASE DISPASE AND/OR NEURAMINIDASE, COMPARED TO NO TREATMENT OF TISSUE SLICES; AND (3) FOR SEPARATION OF CELLS FROM DEBRIS USING DENSITY GRADIENTS PRIOR TO ADHESION TO ACTIVATED WELLS AND QUICK FREEZING. METHODS WILL BE SPECIFICALLY DEVISED AND OPTIMIZED FOR EACH ORGAN/TUMOR SYSTEM. THE IMMEDIATE AIM IS TO DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGIES NEEDED TO DISPERSE CELLS PRIOR TO FREEZING. THE LONG-TERM AIM IS TO DEVELOP A SERVICE FOR THE ASSESSMENTOF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES USING QUICK-FROZEN, VIABLE, CELL PANELS MAINTAINED AT -80 DEGREES(C).