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Vertebrate Antibodies Limited (VAL)

Name of the laboratory

Vertebrate Antibodies Limited (VAL)
Vertebrate Antibodies Limited
Zoology Building
Tillydrone Avenue
Aberdeen AB24 2TZ
United Kingdom
00441224272868
Members: Vertebrate Antibodies
Unit Leaders
Ayham Alnabulsi abdo.alnabulsi@abdn.ac.uk
Steve Bird sbird@waikato.ac.nz

Vertebrate Antibodies Limited (VAL) and EpitogenX Ltd together form an integrated biotechnology group originating from the University of Aberdeen, specialising in the development of high-specificity monoclonal antibodies and recombinant chimeric antigens for research, diagnostic, and translational applications.

VAL brings over two decades of expertise in epitope-driven antibody generation, epitope-mapping, and immunoassay development. Building on this foundation, EpitogenX Ltd was established to develop and commercialise Epitogen®, a proprietary antigen and epitope-engineering platform that enables the expression, stabilisation, and multiplexing of difficult-to-produce antigens and peptides. Epitogen platform can also display nanobodies to increase their yield, stability and facilitate their use in diagnostic applications.

EpitogenX support the life sciences, diagnostics, and veterinary sectors with highly reproducible, application-ready tools, with a particular focus on protein targets that are poorly served by conventional protein expression approaches.

Technology

VAL’s historical strength lies in epitope-focused antibody development, originally driven by short synthetic peptide immunogens selected for specificity, accessibility, and immunogenicity. This technology has evolved into a multiplexing platform that combines computational design with experimental validation to overcome key bottlenecks:

  • AI-guided epitope prediction using proprietary software (Epitopredikt™)
  • Recombinant expression of complex proteins/domains
  • Correct antigen conformation and presentation optimised for diagnostic formats such as ELISA and lateral flow
  • Multiplexed constructs with epitopes, sub-domains, and full-length proteins

This approach enables precise control over antigen composition and presentation, improving assay sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility compared with native or poorly defined recombinant proteins.

Research & Development Activities

1) Antibody development: Conventional mouse-derived monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and llama VHH antibodies

VAL develops monoclonal antibodies using a multiplexed antigen (short linear peptides and large conformational domains) approach whereby hotspot regions are used in immunisation and screening to achieve optimal affinity.

Antibodies are validated using:

  • Western blotting against relevant cell and tissue lysates
  • Immunohistochemistry (IHC) on human tissue microarrays
  • ELISA screening and assay-specific performance testing

This workflow supports the discovery and validation of biomarkers with diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, or therapeutic relevance and is increasingly used to supply reagents for diagnostic developers, translational researchers, and OEM partners.

2) Serology Assays Using Multiplexed Antigens

A key area of innovation within our company is the development of a multiplex platform based on bioengineered epitope constructs. Rather than relying on one biomarker, we can include regions from multiple targets using immunodominant epitopes/domains within a single recombinant construct.

This approach allows:

  • Simultaneous detection of antibodies against multiple antigenic regions
  • Improved diagnostic sensitivity and specificity
  • Reduction of cross-reactivity through selective epitope inclusion
  • Stratification of immune responses by epitope profile
  • Adaptation to ELISA, lateral flow, and high-throughput screening formats

This strategy has been applied in infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and Lyme disease, as well as in autoimmune conditions including Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and Myasthenia Gravis (MG), where immune responses may target multiple conformational or linear cryptic epitopes.

Multiplex epitope engineering enables the design of assays that support:

  • Antibody-Epitope screening
  • Disease subtyping and immune profiling
  • Vaccine response monitoring
  • Assay optimisation and OEM diagnostic development

3) Nanobody Display for Diagnostics

Using Epitogen Technology, nanobodies can be engineered and displayed on a scaffold optimized for stable and oriented presentation and site-directed biotinylation. This scaffold can be tailored to preferentially bind diagnostic surfaces, including ELISA plates, microarrays, and nanoparticles, ensuring consistent exposure of the antigen-binding site. By controlling orientation and density, Epitogen enhances nanobody sensitivity and reproducibility in diagnostic assays.

This approach allows:

  • High-throughput detection: Nanobodies can be multiplexed for simultaneous screening of multiple biomarkers.
  • Improved signal-to-noise: Oriented display maximizes binding efficiency and reduces non-specific interactions.
  • Versatility across platforms: Nanobody scaffolds can be adapted to conventional plate-based assays, lateral flow tests, or nanoparticle-based detection systems.
  • Ultimately, this technology can accelerate the development of robust, scalable, and sensitive diagnostic tools for autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, or other conditions where rapid and accurate detection is critical.

Core Capabilities

EpitoGen

Publications (2021-present)

  • Sunthamala P, Wang T, Phadee P, Luang-In V, Srisapoome P, Zou J, Secombes CJ, Wangkahart E. IL-11 acts as a vaccine adjuvant in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) against Streptococcus agalactiae, enhancing both cellular and humoral immune responses. Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2026;168:110917. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110917.
  • Guha R, Lakshmi S, Wang T, Wangkahart E, Elumalai P. Protective efficacy of Interferon-γ and β-glucan adjuvanted formalin killed vaccines in Nile tilapia against Edwardsiella tarda infection. Dev Comp Immunol. 2025;169:105404. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2025.105404.
  • Lakshmi S, Nandhakumar, Guha R, Wang A, Wangkahart E, Wang T, Elumalai P. Analysis of the efficacy of two molecular adjuvants, flagellin and IFN-γ, on the immune response against Streptococcus agalactiae in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish Physiol Biochem. 2025;51(1):47. doi: 10.1007/s10695-025-01464-4.
  • Wang T, Wang A, Zindrili R, Melis E, Guntupalli S, Brittain-Long R, Delibegovic M, Secombes CJ, Mody N, Mavin S, Buks R. Evaluation of the Epitogen Lyme Detect IgG ELISA: a novel peptide multiplexing approach. Microbiol Spectr. 2024;12(12):e0167524. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.01675-24.
  • Buks R, Alnabulsi A, Zindrili R, Alnabulsi A, Wang A, Wang T, Martin SAM. Catch of the Day: New Serum Amyloid A (SAA) Antibody Is a Valuable Tool to Study Fish Health in Salmonids. Cells. 2023;12(16):2097. doi: 10.3390/cells12162097.
  • Alnabulsi A, Wang T, Pang W, Ionescu M, Craig SG, Humphries MP, McCombe K, Salto Tellez M, Alnabulsi A, Murray GI. Identification of a prognostic signature in colorectal cancer using combinatorial algorithm-driven analysis. J Pathol Clin Res. 2022;8(3):245-256. doi: 10.1002/cjp2.258.
  • Hu Y, Alnabulsi A, Alnabulsi A, Scott C, Tafalla C, Secombes CJ, Wang T. Characterisation and analysis of IFN-gamma producing cells in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2021;117:328-338. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2021.07.022.
  • Porter RJ, Murray GI, Alnabulsi A, Humphries MP, James JA, Salto-Tellez M, Craig SG, Wang JM, Yoshimura T, McLean MH. Colonic epithelial cathelicidin (LL-37) expression intensity is associated with progression of colorectal cancer and presence of CD8+ T cell infiltrate. J Pathol Clin Res. 2021;7(5):495-506. doi: 10.1002/cjp2.222.