Case Study: Peripheral Tissue Module Compared to PBMC Assay

We have shown that the Peripheral Tissue (PT) module is significantly more sensitive than PBMC assays for certain immune stimulants such as double-stranded RNA, bacterial cell wall components, and bacterial DNA.

The PT module provides valuable insight into the reactogenicity of immunotherapy formulations and the ability of immunopotentiators and adjuvants to induce innate- associated inflammatory responses. The figure below shows the general innate reactogenicity by assessing the proinflammatory cytokines in the PT module subjected to DTaP, Fluzone® and Recombivax®. The reactogenicity is highest for DTaP, a result of the diphtheria, acellular pertussis and alum, followed next by Fluzone®, likely a consequence of egg residue, and then by the purified HBsAg sub-unit vaccine of Recombivax®. The PT module is more sensitive than standard PBMC assays, and there are dramatic differences than that observed with DCs derived from monocytes with GMCSF and IL-4 (GI-DCs).

VaxDesign has investigated immunopotentiators, biologics, and immunosuppressants and find that the responses observed in the PT module correctly simulates human immune responses.