January 2022: The Native Antigen Company Expands Range of Norovirus-Like Particles

The Native Antigen Company (part of LGC Clinical Diagnostics), one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into vaccines and diagnostics for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, today announced the expansion of its norovirus-like particle range, with the addition of six new reagents, including four which are unique to the market. These virus-like particles (VLPs) are suitable for studies of norovirus protein structure and the research and development of vaccines and in vitro diagnostic assays.

The Native Antigen Company’s full norovirus-like particle range now comprises eight genotypes, four of which are unique to the market, GII.2, GII.6, GII.10 and GIX.1, as well as GI.3 and GII.17. The VLPs are suitable for a wide range of applications, including the development of serological assays, generation of anti-norovirus antibodies and studies of VLP structure. This expanded range adds to the Company’s extensive selection of recombinant VLPs for infectious disease R&D.

The Company specialises in the manufacture and purification of native and recombinant antigens and antibodies for viral and bacterial pathogens, offering researchers a reliable source of high-quality reagents for immunoassay development and manufacturing. The Company’s norovirus VP1 structural proteins are produced in its proprietary VirtuE™ (HEK293) and insect-baculovirus expression systems to form particles without the non-structural proteins or genome. The resulting high-purity VLPs display native-like epitopes and glycosylation patterns, while being non-infectious and safe to use. Read more.

Ish Jalal, Commercial Director, The Native Antigen Company, said: “Multiple novel norovirus strains have emerged in recent years, constituting a significant and growing health burden in both the developed and developing world. The high mutation rate of noroviruses and subsequent emergence of multiple strains has made the development of diagnostics and vaccines particularly challenging. By expanding The Native Antigen Company’s unique range of norovirus-like particles we hope to continue supporting cutting-edge research and development into this highly contagious disease.”

November 2021: The Native Antigen Company’s SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Assay Development Kits are selected as The Scientist 2021 Top 10 Innovation

The Native Antigen Company, part of LGC Clinical Diagnostics and one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into diagnostics and vaccines for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, is delighted to announce that its SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Assay Development Kits have been recognised by The Scientist as a Top 10 Innovation this year.

Every year The Scientist, a leading publication for life science professionals, announces a list of newly released tools, techniques, and technologies that it predicts will have the biggest impact on the life science industry. The Native Antigen Company’s assay development kits have been selected by an independent panel of expert judges as an innovative product that supports and speeds up biological discovery.

The Company was one of the first companies to release commercial kits for the development of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro neutralization assays. The kits enable researchers to identify and qualitatively assess the degree to which antibodies can neutralize different spike protein variants from binding with human ACE2 receptors. Such assays are needed to assess the protection and longevity of patient immunity to emerging variants, as well as screen therapeutic antibodies, and for variant research.

Ish Jalal, Commercial Director, The Native Antigen Company, said: “Receiving this award is great recognition of our commitment to supplying vital reagents to better facilitate infectious disease research and support public health efforts. We are proud to be showcased alongside these other fantastic innovations.”

Find out more about The Native Antigen Company’s SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Assay Development Kits here: https://thenativeantigencompany.com/new-sars-cov-2-neutralisation-assay-development-kits-available/

June 2021: The Native Antigen Company wins ‘The Best COVID-19 Responder’ at OBN 2020 Awards

The Native Antigen Company, part of LGC Clinical Diagnostics and one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into diagnostics and vaccines for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, won ‘The Best COVID-19 Responder’ at OBN 2020 Awards. The award recognises the Company’s outstanding contribution to the fight against COVID-19.

The Native Antigen Company has utilised its expertise in developing high-quality reagents to play a major role in the global response to SARS-CoV-2. In February 2020, The Native Antigen Company was amongst the first companies to make SARS-CoV-2 antigens commercially available for researchers developing diagnostics and vaccines to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In April last year, it partnered with OXGENE to scale COVID-19 antigen production to further support the development of diagnostic kits and vaccine development. Following this, the Company introduced a range of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies and a neutralisation assay development kit, which enables the identification and assessment of antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 variants for diagnostic, vaccine and therapeutic research. It now offers a growing range of reagents to support research into the coronaviruses, including antigens, antibodies, receptors enzymes and custom development services, further expanding its offering to support research and development of technology to fight COVID-19. Read more.

Dr Nick Roesen, Chief Operating Officer, The Native Antigen Company, said: “To be recognised by this prestigious award is testament to our hard work and progress over the past year. Central to stemming the transmission of disease is the availability of high-quality reagents for diagnosis, antibody testing and the development of safe and effective vaccines. Our commitment to supplying vital reagents, especially in such challenging and unprecedented times, is a proud achievement. We look forward to continuing this work to expand our support for infectious disease research.”

April 2021: The Native Antigen Company Launches SARS-CoV-2 Neutralisation Assay Development Kit

The Native Antigen Company, part of LGC Clinical Diagnostics and one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into diagnostics and vaccines for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, today announced the launch of its SARS-CoV-2 Neutralisation Assay Development Kit. The kit can be used to identify and qualitatively assess the ability of antibodies to neutralise SARS-CoV-2-receptor binding, to support research into variants and their effects on natural and vaccine-induced patient immunity.

The easy-to-use kit contains all the key reagents required to measure SARS-CoV-2-antibody binding, including the Spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the prototypic Wuhan-Hu-1 strain, labelled ACE2, and positive and negative monoclonal antibody controls. These reagents enable the assessment of neutralising activity of patient and therapeutic antibodies, and can be used alongside The Native Antigen Company’s growing range of SARS-CoV-2 variant Spike proteins to assess differences in antibody/ACE2 affinities and competitive binding. Read more.

Dr Andy Lane, Commercial Director, The Native Antigen Company, said: “This marks The Native Antigen Company’s first release of a dedicated kit for the development of neutralisation assays. Our data demonstrates the SARS-CoV-2 Neutralisation Assay Development Kit’s effectiveness and we are confident in its ability to support vital research and development efforts for public health.”

January 2021: The Native Antigen Company Introduces Range of Veterinary Reagents

The Native Antigen Company (now part of LGC Clinical Diagnostics), one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into vaccines and diagnostics for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, today announced the introduction of its new range of veterinary reagents. The Company’s offering includes over 90 high-quality native and recombinant antigens, and monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for a range of viral, bacterial and protozoal veterinary diseases, that can be used in the development of diagnostics and vaccines.

The Company’s reagents have been developed for both livestock and companion animals, such as dogs, cats and pigs, and include a range of clinically relevant pathogens, such as coronaviruses, Borrelia, Rift Valley fever virus, African swine fever virus, Toxocara and heartworm. Suitable for a wide range of applications, these reagents can be used in research, as well as the development of immunoassays for diagnostic and vaccine R&D. The Company is continuing to expand its veterinary range and is well-positioned to respond to emerging health threats. Read more.

Dr Andy Lane, Commercial Director, The Native Antigen Company, said: “With a growing appreciation of One Health and the relationship between zoonotic human and animal diseases, The Native Antigen Company aims to support the development of much-needed diagnostics and vaccines to endemic and emerging veterinary pathogens. This marks the Company’s first move into the veterinary reagent market, which we expect to grow rapidly over the coming years.”

October 2020: The Native Antigen Company Launches Range of SARS-CoV-2 Specific Antibodies

The Native Antigen Company today announced the introduction of ten new monoclonal antibodies recognising SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. These ten antibodies recognise different epitopes of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein, nine of which are SARS-CoV-2-specific and do not cross-react with other human coronaviruses. The introduction of these new antibodies extends The Native Antigen Company’s existing range and offer researchers a source of for the research and development of in vitro diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for COVID-19. Read more.

These SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were raised using the Company’s own S1 and S2 recombinant Spike proteins as immunogens. Produced in the Company’s proprietary mammalian expression system, these antigens exhibit full glycosylation and proper folding to ensure that antibodies raised against them are highly specific. The antibodies have been screened against the Company’s other coronavirus proteins, including SARS, MERS, NL63, OC43, 229E and HKU1 to demonstrate specificity. Three of the antibodies have been shown to be specific for the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of Spike, the region responsible for binding to the cellular ACE2 receptor.

August 2020: The Native Antigen Company Introduces Custom Service for Influenza Antigens

The Native Antigen Company, today announced the introduction of its custom contract service to rapidly develop antigen panels for influenza A and B viruses. This new service offers scientists access to high-quality proteins from emerging seasonal and pandemic influenza strains, to support ongoing research and development of diagnostics and vaccines.

The Native Antigen Company provides custom contract services to develop panels of the influenza antigens from a wide range of virus strains and subtypes using its proprietary HEK293 mammalian expression system (VirtuE), which is able to introduce proper protein folding and full glycosylation to closely mimic naturally occurring proteins. The Company has already used this recombinant protein expression system to successfully develop a range of haemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins for influenza A and B viruses, both of which spread routinely in humans and are responsible for seasonal flu epidemics each year. Its custom contract service could help researchers working with specific strains of influenza gain rapid access to highly purified proteins to conduct detailed assessments of immune responses with diagnostics, including vaccination responses to particular strains. Read more.

Dr Andy Lane, Commercial Director, The Native Antigen Company, said: “Understanding existing influenza strains and having access to the corresponding antigens is vital to help distinguish infection from that of other respiratory diseases, and to enable accurate diagnosis and treatment. The Native Antigen Company is pleased to extend its custom contract service offering to now include the rapid development of influenza A and B antigens. We have worked hard to ensure our development capabilities can keep pace with emerging influenza strains and are proud to be able to produce a broad spectrum of high-quality proteins within a matter of weeks.”

July 2020: The Native Antigen Company Joins LGC

Today, LGC announced the acquisition of The Native Antigen Company (NAC), one of the world’s leading suppliers of high quality infectious disease antigens and antibodies.

NAC is a developer, manufacturer and supplier of critical reagents to the in vitro diagnostic (IVD), pharmaceutical and academic sectors. It offers a comprehensive portfolio of native and recombinant infectious disease antigens and related products including pathogen receptors, virus-like particles and antibodies for use in immunoassay applications, vaccine development and quality control solutions. NAC was one of the first companies globally to offer antigens for SARS-COV-2 and continues to play an important role in supporting the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The acquisition strengthens LGC’s existing product offering to the IVD sector, which includes a range of quality assurance tools, immunoassay reagents and disease state plasma as well as probes and primers for molecular diagnostics. Read more.

Michael Sweatt, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Clinical Diagnostics, LGC, said: “NAC is a natural fit with our clinical diagnostics business and will enable us to provide an expanded portfolio of critical reagents to our customers. NAC’s focus on infectious disease is highly complementary with our existing offer to this segment comprising controls, reference materials, MDx tools and other components. We are excited to welcome our new colleagues into our organisation.”

“We are delighted to be joining LGC as an integral part of their fast growing clinical diagnostics business”, said Nick Roesen, COO of NAC, “even more so, we are excited to join such a well-respected organisation that shares our purpose and mission, and that will support our diagnostic customers by providing even more world-leading products and services.”

April 2020: OXGENE and The Native Antigen Company Announce Collaboration to Increase COVID-19 Antigen Production for Diagnostic Kits and Vaccine Development

OXGENE™ and The Native Antigen Company (NAC) today announced a collaboration to accelerate production of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) reagents by combining OXGENE’s proprietary Adenoviral Protein Machine technology with NAC’s antigen development expertise. Together, OXGENE™ and NAC will develop high purity proteins at scale for the urgently-needed development of diagnostics and vaccines.

OXGENE™ and The Native Antigen Company are developing an improved, scalable approach to SARS-CoV-2 reagent manufacture. OXGENE’s Protein Machine technology allows for the scalable production of viral proteins in mammalian cells using their proprietary adenoviral expression vector. Through genetic modification, the adenovirus is ‘tricked’ into making SARS-CoV-2 proteins rather than its own, thus harnessing the innate power of viral protein production. Read more.

Dr Andy Lane, Commercial Director, The Native Antigen Company, said: “We are committed to developing the highest-quality reagents in rapid response to emerging epidemic diseases. Since the start of the crisis, the demand for our COVID-19 antigens has increased significantly, and by scaling up production of these vital reagents in collaboration with OXGENE, we hope to be able to support more researchers in their critical work developing diagnostics and vaccines.”

February 2020: The Native Antigen Company Introduces Novel Coronavirus Antigens

The Native Antigen Company, one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into vaccines and diagnostics for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, today announced the commercial introduction of its Novel Coronavirus antigens, derived from the emerging Wuhan strain (SARS-CoV-2 / Covid-19). These recombinant proteins offer scientists high-quality reagents to support ongoing infectious disease research, and the development of diagnostics and vaccines. These antigens have been derived specifically from the newly identified Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) using The Native Antigen Company’s proprietary mammalian, VirtuE expression system. This system is able to introduce proper protein folding and post-translational modifications to recombinant proteins, which are essential for full biological and antigenic activity. Read more.

According to Professor Richard Tedder, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, this represents a major step forward in efforts to contain the outbreak: “The Native Antigen Company’s Coronavirus antigens could aid the development of accurate serological assays to identify asymptomatic individuals who have been infected by the virus, and help to assess the true level of infection in any population. The availability of these antigens also supports researchers’ efforts to rapidly develop a vaccine against 2019-nCoV by providing vital reagents to measure vaccine responses.”

February 2020: The Native Antigen Company Introduces Antigen and Antibody Conjugation Kits

The Native Antigen Company, one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into vaccines and diagnostics for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, today announced the commercial release of its liquid format conjugation kits. The kits utilise a novel chemistry to generate highly reproducible antigen and antibody conjugates with a range of different labels, including enzymes, fluorochromes and biotin. The Native Antigen Company’s conjugation kits are multi-use, licence-free and fully scalable. These kits sit alongside the company’s existing portfolio of products to provide researchers with the opportunity to prepare stable conjugates, either from The Native Antigen Company’s extensive selection of viral and bacterial reagents or from their own in-house reagents. Read More.

August 2019: The Native Antigen Company Releases Rubella Virus-Like Particles

The Native Antigen Company, one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enable research into vaccine development and diagnostics for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, today announced the release of its Rubella virus-like particles (VLPs) at the 71^st AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Anaheim, CA, USA. The Rubella VLPs are a unique product in its new range of Rubella virus reagents, adding to the Company’s extensive selection of recombinant VLPs that offer researchers a reliable source of high-quality reagents for immunoassay development and manufacturing. Read More.

July 2019: The Native Antigen Company Signs Distribution Agreement with BIOZOL and Shanghai Bioleaf

The Native Antigen Company anounced that it has appointed BIOZOL and Shanghai Bioleaf to distribute its high-quality products in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and China, respectively. The appointment of these two distributors will provide researchers in these territories with improved access to The Native Antigen Company’s native and recombinant viral and bacterial antigens, antibodies and immunoassays, supporting cutting-edge research in infectious disease. BIOZOL is one of the leading life-science providers in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, offering over 6,000,000 products from different manufacturers including antibodies, proteins, ELISAs, detection kits, biochemicals, small molecules, reagents for protein analysis, products for human and veterinary diagnostics. Shanghai Bioleaf is a leading biotech company that supplies a wide range of the highest quality research reagents and instruments to meet the growing needs of Chinese professionals in the fields of molecular biology, immunology, cell biology and IVD. Read more.

November 2018: The Native Antigen Company Launches New Zika Immunoassays with Unprecedented Specificity and Sensitivity

The Native Antigen Company has launched a series of ground-breaking immunoassays for Zika virus, offering researchers in academia, public health and drug discovery the capability to work with unprecedented levels of specificity and sensitivity. Unlike previous methods, the new assays have little or no cross-reactivity with other flaviviruses, including Dengue, West Nile, Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Usutu virus. The Zika virus poses a significant global risk and there is currently no vaccine or specific treatment available for those infected. Sensitive and specific diagnostic assays are crucial for enabling effective research, epidemiology and disease management, as well as the development of new vaccines and therapeutics. Read more.

October 2017: Oxford Innovation Scale-Up Award

The Native Antigen Company came 3rd place in the Scale-Up awards. Started by Oxford Innovation as a national competition for science and technology businesses, The Native Antigen Company won the award for its role in developing antigens and immunoassays for the global fight against the spread of Zika virus. Read more.

“We are overjoyed to come third in the Oxford Innovation Scale-up awards. There were many great companies featured at the ceremony, and it is a great honour indeed to be recognised amongst all that talent. I have no doubt that we will be returning to Oxford Innovation for further support and facility space as we continue to grow over the next few years.”

Nick Roesen, 
COO

April 2017: The Native Antigen Company Relocates to Larger Facilities

The Native Antigen Company has relocated to larger facilities in Kidlington, Oxford, with fit-for-purpose laboratories to double the company’s manufacturing and R&D capacity. Read more.

“I am delighted with the new facilities and the increased capacity that they provide”, says Nick Roesen, CSO. “The addition of immunoassay development services will enable our customers to work with us from protein expression through to development of an immunoassay for a specific protein. In providing this new service, we aim to fill the gap between small-scale R&D expression and high-end pharmaceutical-scale good manufacturing practice manufacturing.”