KACTUS is a biotech company that specializes in providing top-notch protein and enzyme products and customized services for a range of fields including antibody drug discovery, immunotherapy, gene therapy, and mRNA therapeutics.
Our protein engineering platform is based on advanced bioinformatics structural analysis and 3D modeling. Our impressive range of products includes VLP-displayed antigens, MHC complexes, AAV ELISA kits, Isothermal DNA Amplification enzymes, Laminin 521, CD3 proteins, GMP-grade mRNA production enzymes, and Cas9.
Virus-like Particle (VLP)-Displayed Antigens
Research and development for antibody drugs has increasingly fierce competition. The discovery of antibodies specific to difficult targets can help you maintain competitiveness in the market.
What are VLP-displayed antigens?
- Nanoparticles (20-200nm) derived from outer capsid protein of virus
- Formed by the automatic assembly of one or more viral capsid proteins
- Surface display provides multiple copies of antigen per VLP to enhance immunogenicity
Why use VLP-displayed antigens?
- Do not contain viral infectious genomes, making them safe to use in manufacturing operations
- Efficiently activate the body’s humoral and cellular immune responses
- Natural configuration of transmembrane proteins for discovery of differentiated antibodies
MHC-I Complexes
Check out our line of mammalian cell-derived MHC-I complexes including biotinylated and tetramer complexes.
Kactus provides a series of MHC-polypeptide complex proteins with natural conformation and complete glycosylation modification, including monomers, tetramers, biotinylated tetramers, VLPs, etc., to meet the requirements of immunization, antibody screening, TCRT, blocking assay, SPR and other applications.
T-Lymphocyte Activation by MHC
T lymphocytes, key mediators of the adaptive immune response, are activated when their T-cell receptors (TCRs) interact with cognate antigenic peptides displayed by major histocompatibility complex molecules (MHC).
Mammalian Expression
E. coli expression and in vitro protein refolding is a common method to produce MHC-I complexes. However, using our SAMS™ technology platform, KACTUS succeeded in expressing biotinylated MHC-I complex in the mammalian cell line Expi293.
High affinity, low endotoxin
The resulting MHC-I complexes show high affinities with benchmark antibodies and have low endotoxin levels – ideal for endotoxin sensitive cell-based assays. KACTUS also provides MHC tetramer complexes which have a greater avidity to T cells and more stable binding.
