This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
In Vitro Assays for Veterinary Vaccine Development
BioVenic offers in vitro efficacy and potency assays for veterinary vaccines, supporting the evaluation of vaccine-induced immune responses and disease-prevention potential to screen the most promising candidates for downstream development. Our platform covers a range of cell-based assays—ELISA for antibody and antigen quantification, virus neutralization assays with target virus and host cell provision, antigen titer determination by flow cytometry, and cytokine assays for immune-stimulation profiling—backed by stable, contamination-free cell lines. We support customized assay combinations tailored to specific R&D needs, delivering rapid, accurate efficacy and potency measurements as a reference for subsequent in vivo studies.
Our Services
ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
The fundamental principle of ELISA involves the specific binding of enzyme-labeled antibodies or antigens to the target molecule under investigation (typically an antibody or antigen). Subsequent chemical reactions are employed to detect this binding, quantifying the presence of the target molecule. BioVenic provides ELISA services for veterinary vaccines to assist in measuring and analyzing antibody levels and animal immune responses. BioVenic also provides customized ELISA development services according to your specific requirements. We have perfect reagent formulations, enzyme labeling technology, and abundant antigen and antibody resources to ensure that the assay accurately meets your veterinary vaccine development goals.
ELISA is utilized to investigate the immunogenicity of different veterinary vaccine candidates or antigens, helping select the most effective vaccines.
ELISA is employed to determine specific antibody levels secreted by host cells, evaluating whether the veterinary vaccine induces a sufficient immune response.
ELISA can be used to determine if host cells are generating immune protection in response to your developed veterinary vaccine product.
ELISA is used to measure the concentration of antigens or pathogenic molecules in veterinary vaccines to ensure product quality and consistency.
Neutralization Assay
BioVenic provides the neutralization assay, used to assess the neutralizing effect of antibodies against a pathogen, specifically referring to the ability of antibodies or antiserum to prevent the pathogen from entering host cells or inhibit its replication, thereby reducing or preventing infection. Viruses must replicate and proliferate within live cells, and specific antiviral antibodies (neutralizing antibodies) bind to the virus, rendering it incapable of entering host cells, thus preventing the virus from replicating within host cells.
Fig.1 Virus neutralization assay workflow. (BioVenic Original)
| Target Virus and Host Cells Provision | BioVenic supplies the specific target virus strain and suitable host cells required for the assay. |
| Host Cell Treatment | The provided host cells are treated with your veterinary vaccine product. |
| Incubation | Treated host cells are mixed with the target virus, and the resulting mixture is incubated. |
| Observation of Cytopathic Effects | Observation of the antibody's impact on virus-induced cytopathic effects, including cell shrinkage, enlargement, degeneration/lysis, cell fusion, and the formation of inclusion bodies. |
| Evaluation of Plaque Formation | The ability of the antibodies to inhibit plaque formation is assessed during the incubation period. |
| Determination of Neutralizing Antibodies | The observed cytopathic effects and plaque formation provide insights into the production of neutralizing antibodies. |
| Reflecting Vaccine Efficacy | The presence and effectiveness of neutralizing antibodies reflect the efficacy of your veterinary vaccine. |
Antigen Titer Assay
BioVenic offers antigen titer testing services for veterinary vaccines, which assist you in evaluating the antigen concentration to ensure that your vaccine contains a sufficient amount of antigen material to elicit the desired immune response.
| Dilution | Dilutes veterinary vaccine into a series of different concentrations using buffer solutions or culture media. |
| Mixing with Antibodies | The diluted vaccine samples are mixed with corresponding known concentrations of antibodies. |
| Flow Cytometer Analysis | Using fluorescent markers, we label the formed antigen-antibody complexes. |
| The labeled complexes are analyzed using a flow cytometer to measure fluorescent signals after a designated reaction period. | |
| Antigen Titer Determination | Comparative analysis of fluorescent signal intensities allows us to determine antigen titers in cells at different concentrations. |
| Subsequent data analysis involves plotting a standard curve to establish the relationship between antigen concentration and fluorescent signals. | |
| Based on the fluorescent signal in the cells, we determine the antigen titer using the established standard curve. |
Cytokine Assay
Cytokines is a collective term for biologically active small protein molecules secreted by cells, including interferons, interleukins, chemokines, and more. Cytokine assays are employed to measure whether veterinary vaccines can stimulate immune cells to produce cytokines, aiding in the induction of immune responses. Throughout the immune response process, they play a crucial role in immune regulation and inflammatory reactions, among other processes. BioVenic has established an advanced laboratory platform with various detection methods such as ELISA and flow cytometry for you to choose from.
Related Veterinary Vaccine Assays
The results of in vitro efficacy and potency assays serve as a reference for subsequent in vivo experiments, ultimately aimed at protecting animals from specific diseases. BioVenic also offers other assays related to veterinary vaccines, both in vivo and in vitro. Tailored to specific needs, we provide customized assay combinations. If you are interested in these assays, please click on the link below.
Related Research
To replace animal-based potency assays that suffer from high variability, substantial cost, and ethical concerns, an in vitro antigenicity ELISA was developed and validated for the pertactin (PRN) antigen in human multivalent combination vaccines (DTaP-IPV). Utilizing two functional monoclonal antibodies with high affinity for unique PRN epitopes relevant to human immune responses, the sandwich ELISA demonstrated robust accuracy, precision, linearity, and specificity across multiple vaccine lots. Crucially, the PRN antigenicity ELISA exhibited higher sensitivity than the conventional mouse-based potency test and effectively differentiated intact vaccine lots from thermally or chemically degraded ones where in vivo assays proved less discerning. By comprehensively characterizing functional antibody interactions and establishing method consistency across diverse formulation matrices, this study provides a validated in vitro replacement strategy for PRN potency release testing, supporting the 3Rs principles in routine vaccine quality control.
Fig. 2 4–PL response curves for the PRN antigenicity ELISA.1
Why Choose Us?
Versatile in vitro potency and potency assays to visualize the efficacy and immunogenicity of veterinary vaccines.
Customized combinations of in vitro potency and potency assays for veterinary vaccines according to specific research and development needs.
Rapid delivery of highly accurate in vitro efficacy and potency measurements for veterinary vaccines.
Case Study
A client partnered with BioVenic to screen three antigen-dose formulations of an inactivated vaccine candidate and identify the lead formulation before committing to live-animal studies. BioVenic deployed a parallel in vitro potency panel—indirect ELISA for humoral IgG, virus neutralization for functional antibody activity, and IFN-γ release for cell-mediated immunity—testing each formulation plus a PBS control in eight replicates within a single analytical run. As shown in the figure, the High Dose formulation produced tightly clustered data points at the highest level across all three readouts, the Medium Dose occupied a clear intermediate tier roughly twice the Low Dose, and the Low Dose remained visibly above background while the PBS control stayed at the baseline. This consistent dose-dependent ranking spanning humoral, neutralizing, and cell-mediated responses gave the client an objective, animal-sparing basis for selecting the High Dose as the lead candidate and justified antigen-sparing exploration with the Low Dose.
Fig. 3 In vitro potency screening
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What types of veterinary vaccine samples and formulations are compatible with your in vitro potency assays?
A: Our platforms support a wide spectrum of veterinary vaccine candidates, including inactivated/killed whole-cell pathogens, live-attenuated strains, recombinant protein subunits, virus-like particles (VLPs), and nucleic acid-based (mRNA/DNA) formulations. We can analyze both mono-component and complex multivalent formulations across companion animal, livestock, poultry, and aquatic species applications. Because matrix components—especially complex adjuvants like aluminum salts or oil emulsions—can physically interfere with antigen quantification, sample pretreatment or matrix displacement may be required. We strongly encourage you to consult our technical support team to verify sample compatibility and optimization protocols prior to submission.
Q2: How do your in vitro assays establish a reliable correlation with in vivo efficacy and immunogenicity?
A: In vitro potency testing functions as a critical surrogate to reflect functional biological activity and antigenic integrity without requiring early-stage host animal challenge studies. By employing quantitative sandwich ELISAs, cell-based virus neutralization assays, relative potency (RP) comparisons against benchmark reference standards, and functional cell-mediated immune profiling (e.g., cytokine release or lymphocyte proliferation), we map protective antigen quantities directly to immunogenic responses. Since acceptable correlation thresholds and relevant bio-markers depend on specific target pathogens and regulatory expectations, please discuss your specific efficacy parameters with our technical specialists to design a customized assay matrix.
Q3: What are the general requirements for sample volume, concentration, and shipping conditions?
A: Sample submission requirements vary significantly depending on the selected testing methods, formulation viscosity, and the number of target antigens being assayed. Generally, we request sufficient representative volumes from production or test batches alongside matched reference standards or control matrices whenever applicable. Samples should be maintained under optimal thermal stability conditions—typically shipped on dry ice for liquid or temperature-sensitive antigens, or cold packs for adjuvanted formulations sensitive to freezing—to prevent protein denaturation or antigen degradation. For precise guidelines on minimal sample mass, storage buffers, and international shipping logistics, please contact our technical support staff prior to dispatch.
The purpose of BioVenic's provision of in vitro efficacy and potency testing services for veterinary vaccines is to determine whether the active components within the vaccine are potent enough to elicit a robust immune response. If your veterinary vaccine requires in vitro efficacy and potency testing, please feel free to contact us, we are dedicated to serving your needs!
Reference
- Szeto, Jason, et al. "Development of an in vitro test method to replace an animal-based potency test for pertactin antigen in multivalent vaccines." Vaccines 11.2 (2023): 275. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11020275. Used under CC BY 4.0. The original title was changed to "4–PL response curves for the PRN antigenicity ELISA".