Complex Biologics CDMO+ CRO - Abzena

Episcreen® 2.0 Cytokine Screen™

The EpiScreen® 2.0 Cytokine Screen™ assay assesses the ability of therapeutic proteins to trigger innate and adaptive immune responses that cause rapid cytokine release and potential toxicity.

Elevated cytokine levels can appear in patient serum within minutes to hours after infusion. Standard in vitro immunogenicity assays and animal studies often fail to predict these severe reactions, as seen in the TGN1412 clinical trial (Suntharalingam et al., 2006).

This cytokine screening assay strengthens early immunogenicity assay development by identifying molecules with a higher risk of immune activation.

Cytokine Screen™

Abzena has developed an enhanced in vitro immunogenicity assay, the Cytokine Screen™, to assess the risk of biopharmaceutical products causing cytokine release syndrome before clinical trials.

The cytokine screening assay is available in whole blood format to evaluate innate immune responses or PBMC format to study adaptive responses, using standard or custom cytokine panels.

Abzena’s immunogenicity assay services are customized for each program to ensure scientific objectives are met. Dedicated project teams oversee every study, focusing on efficient immunogenicity assay development and timely delivery of cytokine screening results.

Episcreen® 2.0 Cytokine Screen™ FAQs

What is the Cytokine Screen™ assay?

The Cytokine Screen™ assay is an in vitro immunogenicity assay that evaluates whether a therapeutic protein could trigger cytokine release and immune-related toxicity.

How does cytokine screening support immunogenicity testing?

Cytokine screening helps detect early immune activation, complementing Abzena’s broader immunogenicity assays to predict potential safety risks before clinical studies.

What formats are available for Cytokine Screen™?

The cytokine screen is available as a whole blood or PBMC-based assay to measure innate and adaptive immune responses using standard or custom cytokine panels.

How does Abzena use cytokine screening in assay development?

Our scientists integrate cytokine screening assays into broader immunogenicity assay development workflows to support reliable preclinical safety evaluation.

Why use an in vitro immunogenicity assay before clinical trials?

In vitro immunogenicity assays identify cytokine release risks that animal models often miss, improving safety assessment before first-in-human studies.