Adaptive Biotechnologies Launches immunoSEQ T-MAP COVID, First Molecular T Cell Monitoring Tool for SARS-CoV-2
Tailored for vaccine developers to accurately and reproducibly measure and track COVID-19 specific T-cell response in clinical trials
Powered by T-cell immune response data from over 1,000 COVID-19 patients from ImmuneCODE, the largest public database mapping T-cell receptors (TCRs) to SARS-CoV-2
New data demonstrates T-cell response persists beyond 90 days
“The critical role of the T-cell response is increasingly becoming a focus of attention. While antibodies have been a mainstay of measuring the immune response to vaccines, for COVID-19, it is becoming clear that the T-cell response is necessary for a complete picture of immunity,” said
immunoSEQ T-MAP COVID provides researchers with a quantitative map of T-cell receptors (TCRs) and SARS-CoV-2 antigens that are driving the immune response to vaccines and other therapies in development for COVID-19. This reproducible, high-throughput, high resolution, molecular data will be made available through Adaptive’s existing cloud-based immunoSEQ Analyzer to assist with analysis and visualization of the immune response.
“The ImmuneCODE data and analyses to date have several real-world applications to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including the support of vaccine trials and therapeutic development,” said
Data from the Snyder et al. manuscript elucidate the magnitude and dynamics of the T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 infection from over 1,000 patients and several thousand controls. First, Adaptive’s immune medicine platform was used to identify the parts of the virus that induce a T-cell response. These data confirm findings from other studies showing that T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2 is directed against a small number of viral antigens in addition to the spike protein, the current target of most vaccines in development. These targets may inform design or enhancement of next-generation vaccines.
Then, the shared “public” T-cell receptors that are specific to those immunogenic parts of the virus were identified. These TCRs enable T-cell response to the virus to be measured and tracked over time at the individual and population levels. Most notably, >90% of patients still have these shared SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells for several months post confirmed diagnosis, the maximum time period currently available to assess response. Previously published research on other coronavirus infections have demonstrated persistent T cells for years following initial infection, even when antibodies are undetectable in convalescent patients, highlighting the importance of the T-cell response in understanding immunity to the virus.
Based on these results and ongoing research on real-world samples, Adaptive is also completing validation of a clinical T-cell based diagnostic to broadly identify past exposure reliably and reproducibly. The Company is pursuing an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA for use of this diagnostic test, immunoSEQ Dx® SARS-CoV-2.
Snyder et al. can be found at: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.31.20165647v1
About the T cell
T cells are the adaptive immune system’s first responders to detect any virus. They quickly multiply and circulate in the blood to attack the virus, often before symptoms appear. Among many other jobs, T cells also recruit B cells to produce antibodies after about a week or two to potentially provide immunity against future infection. T cells contain a treasure trove of information that could provide one consistent and trackable measure of the immune response to COVID-19 from initial exposure through viral clearance.
T cells can “remember” past infections and kill pathogens if they reappear. Since the decline of antibody signals for SARS-CoV-2 over time has been reported by many researchers, T cells need to be studied to assess how long patients remain resistant to reinfection. Given T cells circulate freely in the blood, they are an easy and thus a desirable target for assessing SARS-CoV-2 exposure and potentially immunity.
About ImmuneCODE
ImmuneCODE is an open database that provides a detailed population-level view into the adaptive immune response to the COVID-19 virus.
De-identified blood samples from ImmuneRACE, including patients who were actively infected, recovered or were recently exposed to the virus, are being collected by LabCorp, through its Covance drug development business, using a mobile phlebotomy service. Immune cell receptors from these samples are being sequenced using Illumina platform technology and mapped to virus-specific antigens that are confirmed by Adaptive’s proprietary immune medicine platform to induce an immune response. These study data are being pooled with data from thousands of additional unique de-identified patient samples from many institutions around the world. Using Microsoft Azure’s hyperscale cloud and machine learning capabilities, the accuracy of the immune response will be continuously improved and updated online in real time as more samples are sequenced.
* Providence, a large health system with 51 hospitals, including the one near
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Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to Adaptive. All statements contained in the press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the ability to map adaptive immune responses to COVID-19, the ability to successfully collect a sufficient number and quality of samples through ImmuneRACE, the ability to efficiently and effectively process data with ImmuneCODE, to leverage any findings or data to advance solutions to diagnose, treat and prevent COVID-19, the ability to develop, commercialize and achieve market acceptance of the Adaptive’s TCR-Antigen Map and other current and planned products and services, research and development efforts. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, which are described under “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in the documents Adaptive files with the
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Source: Adaptive Biotechnologies
