Thermo Fisher Scientific expands transplant antigen panel for more complete antibody assessment
June 23, 2026 – –
WALTHAM, MA., June 22, 2026 – Thermo Fisher Scientific Expands HLA-DQ Coverage to Support More Informed Transplant Decisions
The detection and characterization of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies are central to assessing immunological risk in transplantation. While conventional HLA antibody testing has traditionally focused on antigen-level reactivity, increasing attention has shifted toward epitope- and eplet-based analysis as a more refined approach to understanding alloimmune responses.
To help laboratories address this challenge, Thermo Fisher Scientific has expanded its LABScreen™ Single Antigen ExPlex Portfolio with the introduction of LABScreen Single Antigen HLA Class II ExPlex – Group 2. The new panel extends 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.”
Available now in the European Union under IVDR, the extended ExPlex panel can be combined in a single well with LABScreen Single Antigen assays — the established standard for HLA antibody detection — without requiring additional time after assay setup. Laboratories may gain expanded analytical capability without retraining staff, modifying workflows or investing in new instrumentation.
Key Customers and Applications:
- 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 centers handling antibody assessment for complex or sensitized transplant cases
- Transplant clinicians requiring more comprehensive HLA-DQ data to inform clinical decisions
Features/Benefits:
Expanded HLA-DQ Coverage
- Adds 27 HLA-DQ antigens and heterodimers combinations to the existing 24-bead ExPlex offering
- Creates a new 51-bead extended panel
- Enables assessment up to 146 Class II Single Antigen Beads in a single well
Easy Workflow Integration
- Integrates directly into existing LABScreen Single Antigen workflows
- Enables expanded HLA DQ analytical capability without increasing operational complexity
- Reduces the need for additional training, process changes or new equipment investments
Website: http://thermofisher.com/labscreen-explex
Products are CE-marked for in vitro diagnostic use in the European Union (EU). Availability dependent on local regulatory authorization. Not available in the United States or Canada.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific:
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue over $45 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific™, Applied Biosystems™, Invitrogen™, Fisher Scientific™, Unity Lab Services™, Patheon™ and PPD™. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.
