- the two biotechnology companies CANDOR Bioscience GmbH and trenzyme GmbH make with their products an important contribution to COVID-19 test development
Konstanz and Wangen, June 22, 2020 – In dealing with the COVID 19 pandemic, a reliable SARS-CoV-2 antibody test is urgently needed worldwide to determine whether a person has already been infected with the virus. Many of the currently available tests are not yet optimally developed and can lead to false positive results. However, for mass testing of the population an extremely high specificity, i.e. a low rate of false-positive results, is absolutely essential. To achieve this specificity, high-quality components and reliable immunological test methods are required. The two biotechnology companies CANDOR Bioscience and trenzyme make a major contribution to this with their products and offer highly specific components for more significant antibody tests against SARS-CoV-2.
Various studies show that the RBD (Receptor Binding Domain) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein could be a very promising antigen for highly specific antibody tests. The German biotechnology company trenzyme, based in Konstanz, produces this important surface protein of SARS-CoV-2 in a very high quality and on a large scale to supply researchers from all over the world who are working on different test methods or on the development of COVID-19 drugs.
CANDOR Bioscience, based in Wangen (Germany), also uses the protein produced by trenzyme for the development of their assays: “We use the SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein in the development of ELISAs. In contrast to other possible antigens, the RBD antigen supplied by trenzyme has proven to be highly specific for the recognition of patient antibodies. However, in long-term storage such antigens can be unstable and lose their function. The shelf life of the RBD protein in ELISA kits is less than 2 weeks. With our Stabilizer we can stabilize the protein so good that the production of stable and reliable diagnostics is possible without any problems. Due to the ideal combination of trenzyme’s produced protein and our products, we are enabling the development of fast and reliable SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody testing,” said Dr. Peter Rauch, co-founder and CEO of CANDOR.
For the global, high-volume use of a commercial test in a pandemic, the stability of the reagents and the associated kit shelf life play a crucial role. By using stabilizers, such as in this case the Coating Stabilizer Liquid Plate Sealer® from CANDOR, immunodiagnostic components in the kit remain stable and fully functional even after prolonged storage (usually 2-3 years).
In addition to the choice of a high specific capture protein – in this case the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein – and the stability of the reagents, there are also other important aspects to be considered to avoid false positive results in antibody testing. Cross-reactivities, biochemical interference and nonspecific binding should be avoided. They trigger a signal in the immunoassay and thus lead to a false result. To prevent this issues CANDOR offers specific solutions which effectively combat the causes and make the assays reliable.
The described challenges show how complex the development of reliable immunodiagnostics for COVID-19 is and that cooperations such as the one between trenzyme and CANDOR Bioscience are very effective and important in overcoming the current crisis. “We are pleased to support CANDOR in the optimisation of their ELISAs with our produced proteins and to be able to increase the reliability of antibody-based tests through our cooperation and thus make our contribution to the fight against coronavirus,” said Dr. Reinhold Horlacher, founder and CEO of trenzyme.
About trenzyme GmbH
trenzyme GmbH was founded in 2000 as a spin-off of the Microbiological Institute of the University of Constance and has been operating for 20 years as a research service provider in the fields of cell line development and recombinant protein production. As an outsourcing partner, the company provides tailor-made services to support the research and development departments of academic institutes, biotechnology companies and pharmaceutical companies from all over the world.
About CANDOR Bioscience GmbH
CANDOR is an internationally active company that develops, produces and markets high-quality solutions for immunoassays. The product range comprises more than 50 different products, including stabilizers, HAMA and interference blockers, surface blockers and other high-quality buffer solutions, which are sold to immunodiagnostics manufacturers, research-based pharmaceutical companies and research institutes worldwide. The use of these solutions can improve the reliability of results, simplify test procedures and reduce processing time. All CANDOR products are manufactured with the highest possible quality standards in Wangen im Allgäu (Made in Germany).