Reagents and Technologies
Hybridoma Bank for Emerging and Transboundary Animal Pathogens
Ying Fang and Gary Anderson
Management Team
Internal Advisory Committee: Gary Anderson, Bob Rowland, Juergen Richt
Executive Director: Ying Fang
Core members: Jianfa Bai, Zhenhai Chen, Benjamin Hause, Xuming Liu, Benjamin Trible, Rusty Ransburg
Hybridoma Bank Overview
The Hybridoma Bank (Core) is developing a sustainable, technology-based product platform used in the creation of reagents and assays (“products”) focused on emerging and foreign animal infectious diseases of livestock that may or may not have zoonotic implications. The initial “products” are being rolled out both nationally and internationally as first-available, high-technology solutions aligned with leading scientists performing surveillance and diagnostic testing, discovery, and research on high-consequence diseases around the globe. The goal for these reagents and assays is to become a unique worldwide resource for the most important livestock diseases and in the development of them to provide fertile opportunities for training next generation scientists.
Targeted Problem and Audience
The Core has targeted its technology and “products” to be used as tools for research and diagnostic medicine for diseases of highest consequence in livestock and public health. There is a serious gap in the availability of reagents and cutting-edge technology for emerging and foreign animal diseases. Historically, the greatest threats to US livestock are from emerging/foreign animal diseases, such as African swine fever (ASF), classical swine fever (CSF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Although they are currently free from the US, outbreaks in other countries continue to pose serious threats to US livestock. The emergence/introduction of new infectious diseases can produce enormous deleterious impacts on global food systems, which could also affect domestic consumption and exports. The complexity is illustrated by the recent introduction of porcine epidemic diarrhea disease (PED) in the US swine herd, which caused substantial economic losses to swine producers. The estimated net annual decrease for US economic welfare from PED ranges from $900 million to $1.8 billion. Unfortunately, no PED control and prevention measures (diagnostic reagents, assays and vaccines) were prepared in the US ahead of the disease outbreak. The lessons learned from previous disease outbreaks emphasize the need for developing biosecurity measures, including well-prepared reagents and diagnostic tests for rapid detection of emerging and foreign animal diseases. The overall goal will be to establish a central resource and supply of high quality reagents and novel diagnostics for emerging, zoonotic, and foreign animal diseases that will enhance capability of disease control and prevention.
Products
The “products” incorporate leading-edge, often patentable technologies that are consistent with current and future needs of researchers and diagnosticians involved with diseases impacting public (zoonotic) and animal health, economic viability of livestock producers, national and international trade, food safety and security, and bioterrorism. The Core reagents, technologies, and intellectual property focuses on monoclonal antibodies and multiplexing test platforms for early identification of specific disease agents causing problems in human and/or veterinary health. The Luminex multiplexing tests will be developed based on a previously licensed platform for simultaneously detecting of multiple endemic swine pathogens. This also sets an example for future commercialization of Core products.
We believe the “products” will be used worldwide and can become the high-consequence disease resource core for leading-edge research in private and public sectors, surveillance testing, and routine diagnostic medicine. The future value of these “products” can be very significant as the principal home landing page for internet connectivity to key researchers, diagnosticians and scientific venues. In addition, the discoveries and developments associated with the “products” will be presented at scientific meetings, conferences and symposia. The revenue opportunities from these activities can lead to multiple revenue strategies in the future. Valuation and monetization possibilities will be aggressively sought.
Products Overview
Four repositories of materials will be assembled, including DNA plasmids, (hybridoma) cell lines, antibodies, and virus stocks. This material resource will be maintained in a controlled, rapid-access storage facility, which can be available to laboratories all over the world. Central to the center’s mission is the development and production of state-of-the-art customized diagnostic assays for endemic, emerging and foreign animal diseases. Currently, leading-edge Luminex multiplexing tests are being developed, which take advantage of the multiplexing platform that new genetic/antigenic targets can be rapidly incorporated when a new emerging pathogen is identified. Table 1 lists current available reagents and diagnostic assays/new technologies under development.
