Thermo Fisher Scientific expands HLA-DQ coverage to support transplant decisions
Thermo Fisher Scientific has expanded its LABScreen™ Single Antigen ExPlex Portfolio with the introduction of LABScreen Single Antigen HLA Class II ExPlex – Group 2, a panel designed to extend HLA-DQ coverage for laboratories undertaking human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody assessment in transplantation.
Shift toward epitope- and eplet-based analysis
Detection and characterisation of HLA antibodies remain central to assessing immunological risk in transplantation. Conventional HLA antibody testing has traditionally focused on antigen-level reactivity, but increasing attention has shifted toward epitope- and eplet-based analysis as a more refined approach to understanding alloimmune responses.
The new panel has been developed to help laboratories address this shift by extending HLA-DQ coverage, enabling more comprehensive antibody assessment in complex transplant cases.
“HLA-DQ antibodies have become an area of increasing clinical focus, with growing evidence linking them to transplant rejection,” said Dave Lowe, senior director, research and development, transplant diagnostics, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “By expanding HLA-DQ coverage within an existing workflow, laboratories can support better-informed matching decisions before transplant and more comprehensive monitoring after, where earlier detection of donor-specific antibodies can make a meaningful difference for patients.”
Expanded HLA-DQ coverage
The extended ExPlex panel adds 27 HLA-DQ antigens and heterodimer combinations to the existing 24-bead ExPlex offering, creating a new 51-bead extended panel. This enables assessment of up to 146 Class II Single Antigen Beads within a single well.
Integration into existing workflows
The panel can be combined in a single well with LABScreen Single Antigen assays – described as the established standard for HLA antibody detection – without requiring additional time after assay setup. The design integrates directly into existing LABScreen Single Antigen workflows, allowing laboratories to gain expanded HLA-DQ analytical capability without retraining staff, modifying processes or investing in new instrumentation.
Applications
The panel is intended for use by:
• Histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratories managing increasingly complex HLA antibody profiles
• Transplant laboratory directors and managers evaluating panel coverage against a diversifying global HLA database
• Transplant centres handling antibody assessment for complex or sensitised transplant cases
• Transplant clinicians requiring more comprehensive HLA-DQ data to inform clinical decisions
Regulatory status
The extended ExPlex panel is CE-marked for in vitro diagnostic use in the European Union under the In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) and is available now in the EU. Availability is dependent on local regulatory authorisation, and the product
is not available in the United States or Canada.
For more information, visit: http://thermofisher.com/labscreen-explex
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