PEPperPRINT unveils cLIFT technology for advanced peptide microarray applications
German biotechnology company PEPperPRINT has launched its next-generation peptide microarray platform, cLIFT (combinatorial Laser-Induced Forward Transfer), marking a significant advancement in high-density peptide screening capabilities for clinical research and diagnostic applications.
The Heidelberg-based company, celebrating its 15th anniversary, developed the technology in collaboration with Dr Felix Loeffler of the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces and Dr Frank Breitling of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The platform represents a substantial upgrade to PEPperPRINT’s proprietary laser printing technology, offering enhanced precision and expanded chemistry compatibility for biomedical research applications.
Enhanced analytical capabilities drive research potential
The cLIFT platform delivers three critical technical improvements over existing peptide micro-array technologies. The system achieves five times higher density, accommodating up to 50,000 peptide spots per glass slide, enablin comprehensive peptide or target protein coverage analysis. This density enhancement significantly expands screening capacity for clinical laboratories conducting large-scale immunological studies.
“cLIFT opens the door to research opportunities that were previously out of reach,” said Dr Volker Stadler, CEO of PEPperPRINT. “From analysing effects of post-translational modifications like phosphorylations or glycosylations on antibody binding, to complete D-peptide libraries, we’re excited to support our partners in pushing scientific boundaries.”
The technology incorporates site-specific modification capabilities, facilitating integration of post-translational modifications including phosphorylation and glycosylation events critical for understanding protein-antibody interactions in clinical contexts. Additionally, the platform enables straightforward implementation of non-natural amino acids, supporting generation of full D-amino acid or N-methylated peptides for specialised research applications.
Clinical applications span multiple therapeutic areas
The enhanced platform addresses key requirements in epitope mapping, antibody development, vaccine design, immunogenicity risk assessment, and biomarker discovery across cancer, autoimmune, and infectious disease research. The laser-based transfer process deposits amino acids from donor slides to acceptor slides with molecular precision, building high-density peptide microarray through systematic layer assembly. These capabilities enable clinical laboratories to perform broader, deeper, and more customised analyses on single microarrays, potentially accelerating therapeutic development timelines and improving decision-making processes in drug discovery programmes.
For more information, visit: www.pepperprint.com
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