Creoptix AG, a Switzerland-based company focused on next-generation bioanalytical instruments, announced today its collaboration with Adriano Aguzzi, Professor for Neuropathology, University of Zurich, to characterize immunological responses to SARS-CoV-2* such as IgA, IgM and IgG antibodies, which signal whether an individual has been exposed to the Coronavirus.
Zurich, Switzerland, 13 May 2020 – Creoptix AG, a Switzerland-based company focused on next-generation bioanalytical instruments, announced today its collaboration with Adriano Aguzzi, Professor for Neuropathology, University of Zurich, to characterize immunological responses to SARS-CoV-2* such as IgA, IgM and IgG antibodies, which signal whether an individual has been exposed to the Coronavirus.
Prof. Adriano Aguzzi and his team want to understand who has already been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and might be therefore immune. To identify these antibodies in blood samples, the Creoptix WAVEsystem – an extremely sensitive label-free, bioanalytical instrument that enables antibody detection in even pure serum or plasma – will be used.
Line Stigen Raquet, CEO of Creoptix, commented: “The threat posed by COVID-19 demands immediate actions to better understand the mechanisms of this virus in humans. We at Creoptix are tremendously excited and proud to support the efforts of Prof. Aguzzi and his team, who are working on the front lines. We are committed to enabling hospitals and clinical researchers with high performance solutions to characterize binding affinity and kinetics of antibodies on SARS-CoV-2 in conditions closer to real-life. The WAVEsystem’s combination of sensitivity and robustness may prove crucial in shedding light on antibody binding in serum and plasma.”
Creoptix is on a quest to accelerate diagnostics research and help understand immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. “We are fascinated by the idea that our technology could provide new insights in serological testing, guidance in the response to the pandemic and protection of the public’s health,” Line Stigen Raquet explained.
Prof. Adriano Aguzzi, added: “Antibodies are formidable weapons against viruses and that’s the basis of all vaccines. However, antibodies can also facilitate the entry of viruses into cells, thereby causing friendly fire. One determinant of such behaviors is the affinity of antibodies for their targets. In collaboration with Creoptix, we strive to determine the affinity of antisera from COVID-19 patients for their targets. We hope that such investigation may help understand why some patients recover fully from COVID-19 whereas others develop lethal disease.”
* Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, colloquially known as the Coronavirus.
About Creoptix
Creoptix is a private company headquartered in Wädenswil, near Zurich, Switzerland, and with US offices in the Boston area. Creoptix focuses on next-generation bioanalytical instruments for drug discovery and life sciences for both industry and academic research. Based on its proprietary sensor and microfluidics technology, the Creoptix WAVEsystem provides exceptionally high sensitivity and resolution to study real-time biological interactions involving small molecules, peptides, membrane proteins, biologics, and other molecules even in biofluids like undiluted serum or plasma. www.creoptix.com
About University of Zurich
The University of Zurich (UZH) is a member of the League of European Research Universities and numbers among Europe’s most prestigious research institutions. UZH’s international standing is reflected in the many renowned academic distinctions conferred upon its members, including twelve Nobel Prizes. As Switzerland’s largest university, UZH has a current enrollment of over 26,000 students and offers the most comprehensive academic program in the country. Nearly 5,000 excellent members of staff teach and perform research at one of the University’s 130 departments, including 675 professors. UZH also looks back on a rich history, having been founded in 1833 as Europe’s first university to be established by a democratic political system.
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