As a leading provider of biotechnology services worldwide, Creative Biolabs is no stranger to one of drug discovery's most significant challenges: discovering the right binder. We know that you need the right antibody, peptide, or protein with the optimal affinity and specificity, and your target could be:
For several years, phage display has been the technology of choice for binder discovery. Creative Biolabs has extensive experience in phage display. However, a one-size-fits-all phage screening strategy is not the best use of your time and money. We have developed four distinct, powerful phage display screening platforms to provide you with high-value, translatable candidates that advance your research.
Standard biopanning is a commodity. Our phage display screening platforms are a service built on profound expertise. The difference between failure and a breakthrough often lies in the design of the screen. Trying to answer the following questions that determine your platform and .
Our platforms let you match the screen's complexity to your project's stage and risk. Many campaigns utilize our platforms, starting with simple models and then progressing to cell or tissue models. This approach reduces uncertainty and delivers reliable results fast.
A common failure point in protein-based screening is that the target protein becomes denatured or "misfolded" when it becomes "stuck" to the plastic or beads. The unfortunate result is you end up discovering fantastic binders… that never recognize the real protein in its native, functional state. Our team at Creative Biolabs fights this every step of the way. Our platform utilizes a range of immobilization techniques, including biotin-streptavidin capture and affinity tags, to preserve the biological relevance of protein conformations. We design screening strategies that can even select for binders that only recognize a specific conformational state. If you have a purified target and you want to find binders quickly and efficiently, our Protein-Based Platform is the ideal starting point.
The in vitro protein-based phage display screening platform is the ideal entry point when biochemical specificity and epitope context are essential. We screen against purified ectodomains, enzymes, or protein complexes, while running targeted counter screens against close family members and abundant interferents. Competitive blockers can define this space early, while rapid ELISA or BLI checks offer fast feedback on affinity tiers. Motif discovery and structure-aware clustering tools support rational triage before advancing into cellular, tissue, or animal systems. When your target is to narrow a large library against precise biochemical constraints, this platform lets you remove obvious liabilities without slowing your program.
Native conformation, glycosylation, membrane topology, or internalization kinetics drive success? Our in vitro cell-based phage display screening platform is the anchor. Target-high and isogenic control lines enforce selectivity. Live-cell internalization or trafficking gates are integrated where uptake is a design parameter. Reporter-coupled cycles keep enrichment tethered to the signaling outcome. 3D culture or co-culture options are available, where microenvironment variables influence your endpoint. When in-cell performance dictates downstream value, this platform is the right move. You can use our in vitro cell-based platform for various applications, including but not limited to:
Handling and processing human tissue present significant technical and logistical challenges, but the ex vivo platform offers a powerful solution for translational research. By retaining tissue architecture and microenvironment cues, it acts as a bridge between simple models and the whole organism, providing the closest possible view of the in vivo state without a live animal. At Creative Biolabs, our expertise ensures tissue integrity is maintained for the highest quality data. We have deep, long-standing experience in tissue handling, preservation protocols, cryo-sectioning, and perfusion techniques. We leverage this experience in our ex vivo phage display screening platform to analyze fresh tissues, perfused preparations, and primary explants. Key deliverables from our platform include region-specific enrichments, NGS-ranked sequence prioritization, and cross-tissue counters to attenuate off-organ signal. For definitive confirmation, these findings can be paired with histology and spatial localization for visual validation.
When biodistribution, barrier crossing, serum exposure, and physiological clearance determine outcome, the in vivo phage display screening platform in animal models applies the selection pressure where it matters most. We dictate dosing routes and windows, harvest target organs or lesions with replicate cohorts, and use cross-organ counters to focus specificity. Ex vivo and cell-based confirmations follow to validate retention and activity. This platform provides a direct route to tissue-homing ligands, brain-penetrant binders, vascular addresses, and in vivo-relevant delivery systems.
| Question | Recommended Start | Typical Follow-ups |
|---|---|---|
| Do we have precise biochemical counters to enforce? | Protein-based | Cell-based → Ex vivo |
| Will native conformation or internalization decide success? | Cell-based | Ex vivo → In vivo |
| Do we need tissue selectivity before animal work? | Ex vivo | In vivo |
| Is biodistribution the main obstacle? | In vivo | Ex vivo → Cell-based |
We know this is a lot of information. The most crucial step in any project is the conversation. As your CRO partner, our process is built around you:
Choose the platform that matches your biological question. Choose our team with the experience to navigate the complexities of discovery. We are genuinely excited to learn about your project and help you find the molecule that will drive your research forward. .
My target is a GPCR, which is notoriously difficult. How do you ensure it's in its native conformation during screening?
This is our specialty. We utilize our in vitro cell-based platform. We screen directly on live cells that are overexpressing your GPCR target. This ensures the protein retains its native folding, membrane integration, and post-translational modifications, which are crucial for discovering functionally relevant binders.
How do you eliminate non-specific or "plastic-binding" phages that cause false positives?
We employ strict counter-selection strategies. This includes pre-screening the library against empty plates or beads (in vitro screening) or parental cell lines that do not express the target (cell-based screening). We also increase the wash stringency in later rounds to select only for high-affinity, specific binders.
I don't have a purified protein. Can you still help me?
Absolutely. This is a prevalent situation. Our in vitro cell-based, ex vivo, and in vivo platforms are designed for this purpose. We can screen directly against cell lines, tissue samples, or even whole animal models. You do not need to provide a purified target for these advanced platforms.
Can your platforms identify functional binders, such as agonists or antagonists, or simply binders?
Yes, we can design functional phage display screens. For example, we can elute phages based on their ability to trigger a specific cellular response, such as calcium influx or receptor internalization, rather than just physical binding. This enriches for functional hits right from the start.
Which phage display library will you use for my project?
We will select the best library for your goal from our vast, proprietary collections. We have large-capacity peptide libraries (linear and cyclic) as well as human antibody fragment libraries (scFv, Fab, VHH). We will consult with you to choose the library with the highest probability of success.
What if my screening project is highly unusual and doesn't fit one of your four leading platforms?
Our platforms are the starting point, not the limit. We are a team of scientists first, and we specialize in creating fully custom screening strategies. Please contact our team. We will schedule a technical consultation to discuss your unique goals and design a custom protocol tailored specifically for your target.
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.
