UA Partners with Reagent Company to Accelerate Development of a Crypto Diagnostic
Tucson, Ariz. – Michael Riggs, DVM, PhD, professor in the Department of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences at the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), studies the immunobiology of Cryptosporidiosis – commonly known as Crypto – in calves and humans.
For its victims, the Crypto parasite creates a multitude of problems. The tiny bug can be spread in any number of ways. It can be picked up in mountain streams, and it can live in public pools or contaminated municipal water. It can be found on babies’ changing tables and in newborn calves. In short, Crypto is spread through any contact with infected feces. What starts with a little nausea can quickly bloom into abdominal pain and full-blown diarrhea. As the disease worsens, victims may begin to run a fever and become seriously dehydrated.
Given the dangers of infection and how quickly the parasite can spread, one of the keys to controlling it is early diagnosis. To that end, Riggs and Research Specialist Principle Deborah Schaefer developed a panel of monoclonal antibodies that have proven useful for detecting Crypto.
To maximize the impact of their work, the team has been working with Tech Launch Arizona (TLA), the office of the UA that commercializes inventions stemming from research. As a result, the UA has licensed the first group of reagents to Kerafast(link is external), a Boston-based reagent company. Plans are to continue to add additional reagents in the future.
“Ultimately, the goal is to get this technology out into the world where it can help the most people,” says Tod McCauley, PhD, senior licensing manager for CALS at TLA, “and Kerafast will be a great partner to make that happen.”
Current means of detecting and diagnosing Crypto present challenges including cost, performance, clinical significance, and assessment of co-infection with other pathogens. In addition, the use of a wide variety of diagnostic methods ranging from microscopy to polymerase chain reactions (PCR), and the inconsistent application of techniques, makes it difficult to compare results from clinical and veterinary studies. While microscopy requires simple instrumentation and inexpensive consumables, the process is laborious and lacks sensitivity and specificity. Molecular methods of detection like PCR can be used identify Crypto at the species level, but testing for the parasite is not routine in most laboratories.
“We are now making a characterized panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies available to the community for a variety of applications including rapid, simpler diagnostic assay development, antigen characterization and immunotherapeutic development,” says Riggs.
Crypto Creates Misery
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(link is external) (CDC), the parasite is one of the most common waterborne diseases in humans, infecting almost 750,000 people each year in the U.S. alone. In 2010, 99,800 cases of Crypto around the world were fatal.
In most instances, healthy people recover after two weeks, sometimes only one. But for those with weakened immune systems such as those with AIDS or other immunodeficiencies, or patients fighting cancer or taking immunosuppressive drugs, an extended persistent infection can be much more dangerous, causing rapid and sometimes life-threatening weight loss and dehydration. The CDC also reports that Crypto infections are now linked to approximately 25 percent of moderate to severe diarrheal episodes in children aged less than two years in resource-limited countries.
The dangers of crypto reach far beyond humans; the parasite infects domesticated mammals, fish and poultry as well, and the young, such as calves and lambs, are especially susceptible.
Toward Faster, More Accurate Diagnosis
Riggs’ research concentrates on characterizing immune responses to Crypto, specifically on the development of recombinant vaccines, immunotherapies and drug discovery for cryptosporidiosis, and improved methods for diagnosis.
“These antibodies are a useful resource for a broad range of research and development purposes,” says Riggs. “After years of development and characterization, we decided to make them available to others for a variety of applications which are expected to advance the field. TLA has been the perfect liaison to partner with Kerafast and allow this to happen.”
According to McCauley, this university-industry arrangement is doing much more than getting this specific technology out into the marketplace; it represents a relationship and a pathway that will continue to serve both organizations going forward.
“We are exploring ways we can work with Kerafast long-term to add additional value to particular reagents,” he says, “and creating new research avenues for antibodies through technologies available to create customized antibody sequences.”
The company’s Director of Business Development Matt Takvorian is likewise optimistic about the opportunity for impact.
“At Kerafast, we are committed to accelerating scientific progress by facilitating access to the unique and useful research reagents developed by academic laboratories,” Takvorian said. “We are excited to partner with the Riggs lab to make these antibodies more easily available to scientists worldwide to advance research toward better Crypto diagnosis and treatment. We look forward to continuing to expand our relationship with the University of Arizona to bring more of its lab-made reagents to the wider scientific community.”