Finding the right molecule to target a disease is one of the biggest challenges in drug development. Researchers need therapies that attack diseased cells specifically, leaving healthy tissue unharmed. Peptides, which are small proteins, are ideal candidates for this role. They are simple to produce, highly specific, and can penetrate tissues effectively. But out of billions of possibilities, how do you find the single peptide that binds perfectly to your target? The answer is a powerful technology called phage display. It allows us to screen huge libraries of peptides quickly and efficiently to find the best binders for a specific target. However, the quality of the discovery depends entirely on the quality of the test. Screening against artificial targets can lead to molecules that fail in a real biological setting. Creative Biolabs developed the ex vivo phage display screening platform, which is a specialized service within our complete portfolio of Phage Display Screening Platforms, each engineered to provide powerful solutions for your unique discovery challenges. Our platform performs phage display screening directly on fresh human or animal tissue samples. By using a true ex vivo model, we keep the cells, the surrounding microenvironment, and the target proteins in their most natural state. This approach provides the most accurate and predictive way to discover peptides for lab research.
Phage display is a Nobel Prize-winning method that uses a special type of virus, a bacteriophage, as a tool. We use these phages to build a direct link between a peptide and the gene that codes for it. Here's a step-by-step look at our phage display screening method:
1. Build a Library: We start by creating a massive library of phages. Through genetic engineering, we make each phage display a unique peptide on its surface. Our libraries contain billions of different peptides, creating a huge pool of candidates to test.
2. Find the Binders (Biopanning): This is a four-step screening process to find peptides that stick to your target.
Fig.1 Phage display biopanning.1,3
3. Repeat and Enrich: We repeat this binding, washing, and amplification cycle three to five times. Each round enriches the pool of phages, increasing the concentration of the very best candidates that bind your target with high affinity.
4. Identify the Winners: After the final round, we sequence the DNA of the enriched phages. This tells us the exact amino acid sequence of the peptides that successfully bound to your target.
This process allows us to systematically search through billions of options to find the novel, high-affinity peptides you need for your project.
At Creative Biolabs, we have perfected every step of the phage display screening method to deliver clear and reliable results. Our platform is a complete service, guiding your project from start to finish.
Your project starts with a detailed consultation with our experts. We work with you to define your goals. We then manage the preparation of your valuable ex vivo samples. Our team is skilled in handling both fresh and frozen tissues to preserve their biological integrity. We can prepare your tissue in two ways:
We provide world-class phage libraries with unmatched diversity.
This is the core of our discovery process.
After enrichment, we identify and confirm your lead candidates.
The environment you screen in determines the quality of your results. Different phage display screening methods provide a trade-off between simplicity and real-world relevance. There are some traditional screening methods:
This table clearly shows the advantages of our ex vivo approach:
| In Vitro Protein-Based Screening Platform | In Vitro Cell-Based Screening Platform | In Vivo Screening Platform | Ex Vivo Screening Platform | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target System | Purified protein | Cultured cell lines | Living animal model | Fresh human/animal tissue |
| Biological Context | Artificial | Simplified | Physiologically complete (animal) | Physiologically complete (human/animal) |
| Microenvironment | Absent | Absent | Present (animal) | Present (human/animal) |
| Clinical Relevance | Low | Moderate | Moderate (species barrier) | Highest |
| Key Advantage | Simple, fast | Target in cell context | Systemic biodistribution | Preserves native human biology |
| Key Limitation | Non-native protein folding | Lacks TME | Species differences | Requires fresh tissue |
Our ex vivo phage display screening platform is the solution to these limitations. We perform the screening on fresh tissue samples taken directly from a human or animal. This ex vivo model provides unmatched benefits.
Fig.2 In vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro phage display.2,3
The peptides discovered on our platform can accelerate your research and development in many ways.
Developing targeted therapies that work is a major undertaking. Your success depends on using the best models from the very start. Traditional screening methods often fail to predict how a molecule will behave in a human patient. The Creative Biolabs' ex vivo phage display screening platform gives you a clear advantage. We use the real tissue to find peptides that are primed for clinical success. We combine this powerful ex vivo model with elite phage libraries and an expert-driven workflow to deliver results you can trust. and partner with us to harness the power of ex vivo screening.
What makes your ex vivo platform more advantageous than standard cell-based screening?
Our ex vivo platform uses intact human or animal tissue, preserving the native cellular architecture and complex microenvironment that are absent in cell culture models. This provides more clinically relevant data for discovering peptides. Our services are strictly for research use only and not for clinical applications.
How do you handle the tissue samples to ensure they remain viable for screening?
We use optimized protocols for the rapid processing of fresh or frozen tissues. Screenings are performed under controlled conditions to maintain the tissue's biological integrity and the native conformation of target proteins. This ensures the highest quality screening environment.
What types of tissues can you work with for an ex vivo screen?
We are equipped to handle a wide variety of tissues, including tumor biopsies, healthy organs, and specific diseased tissues from multiple species. We can process both fresh and properly frozen samples to meet your project's specific requirements. Our services are designed for research use, not clinical diagnostics.
Can you customize the screening to find peptides specific only to diseased tissue and not healthy tissue?
Yes, we can perform subtractive panning. The phage library is first incubated with healthy control tissue to deplete non-specific binders before it is exposed to the target diseased tissue. This greatly enhances the specificity of the identified peptide candidates.
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Please kindly note that our services can only be used to support research purposes (Not for clinical use).
Creative Biolabs is a globally recognized phage company. Creative Biolabs is committed to providing researchers with the most reliable service and the most competitive price.
