Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) Assay is a bioanalysis platform that uses electrochemiluminescence (ECL) as a single detection technique. It is unlike the colourimetric or chemiluminescent reaction employed by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). It is a platform for robust, multiplexed protein analysis of a large selection of clinically pertinent biomarkers covering sample types (serum, plasma, whole blood, tissues, etc.) and species (mouse, human, etc.).
Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a highly sensitive assay that produces light when stimulated by electricity in the appropriate chemical environment and generates highly reactive species from stable precursors on the surface of an electrode. It can be used to calculate the amount of analytes (such as antibodies or antigens).
Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) Assay is a verified LBA (Ligand Binding Assay) technique that provides excellent sensitivity, low background, a broad dynamic range of quantitation, and assay flexibility.
MSD ECL Assay has many advantages over a traditional ELISA system; they lead in many aspects like:
- Higher sensitivity
- Broad dynamic range
- Fewer matrix effects
- Ability to multiplex
- Ability to scale up
- Less sample required
- Better efficiencies
MSD Assays enable accurate determination of analytes in complex biological matrices with improved throughput in a cost-effective and timely manner. We can especially use MSD technology to analyze various clinically recognized biomarkers, perform PK analysis, and ADA immunogenicity testing in a wide range of sample types such as blood, serum, and tissue, etc.
The Assays use an advanced carbon electrode plate surface for reagent binding and relies on ECL for ultra-sensitive antigen quantitation. The electrodes in the bottom of multi-array and multi-spot MSD plates bind up to ten reagents all together. Usually, the reagents confined to the electrode plate are antigens or antibodies of interest. Below are the most common MSD Assays –
- Direct MSD Assay
- Indirect MSD Assay
- Sandwich MSD Assay
IMMUNOGENICITY ASSAYS
Immunogenicity testing plays a vital role in biopharmaceutical development. Immunogenicity refers to a foreign substance’s ability, such as an antigen, to induce an immune response (mainly the production of antibodies) in the body of humans or other animals. It renders the drug ineffective and changes its pharmacokinetic profile by degrading the drug quicker.
Anti-drug antibody assays are designed to detect and characterize those antibodies produced by patients against the drug. Immunogenicity assays can be developed to detect anti-drug antibodies (ADA) for many drug types, including antibodies, humanized antibodies, proteins, and peptides. The development and validation of ADA assays require extra robust and tolerant techniques.
Detection of low-affinity anti-drug antibodies is enabled using the MSD bridging format, which follows a simple protocol. The development of MSD bridging immunogenicity assays is fast, and they display an improved tolerance in the presence of the drug in test samples than ELISA and other platforms.
NorthEast BioLab has experts with over 30 years of experience in several large molecules LBA formats, such as Meso Scale Discovery Assay, to provide high-value and high impact bioanalysis services. We offer accurate singleplex and multiplex MSD Assay on our QuickPlex SQ120 platform in a wide range of sample biological matrices from humans, mice, rats, and other canine samples, helping clients with decreased matrix effects, increased dynamic range, and sensitivity.
