What types of single-cell screening platforms are being used currently and how do I choose between them?

Currently we see four main types of platforms: FACS-based sorting: while FACS enables high‑volume B‑cell screening, its limitations reduce efficiency and confidence in lead discovery. Screening is restricted to surface‑bound antibodies and memory B cells, excludes secreted antibodies, and is limited to soluble antigens, preventing cell‑based functional selection. In addition, high‑voltage sorting and population‑level analysis result in low sequencing success and hit rates, driving higher downstream costs for sequencing and expression. Droplet microfluidics: micro‑droplet‑based single B‑cell screening enables evaluation of secreted antibodies and supports both soluble and cell‑based antigens. However, the lack of washing steps restricts screening to a single antigen per run, preventing multiplexed analysis. In addition, low single‑cell occupancy (only ~20‑30% of droplets) reduces screening efficiency, limiting throughput, increasing sample consumption, and slowing confident lead identification. Micro-printing (micro-well): well‑based B‑cell screening suffers from low single‑cell efficiency, as only a small fraction of wells contain exactly one B cell. Because screening signals are generated from mixed populations, the likelihood of linking a meaningful readout to a true single B cell is low, resulting in inefficient screening, wasted samples, and slower identification of high‑quality antibody leads. Micro-chamber-based platforms (represented by the Beacon system): Micro‑chamber‑based platforms enable the highest‑confidence single B‑cell screening by design. Using optofluidic control, individual B cells are precisely isolated into NanoPen® chambers, allowing multiplexed on‑chip assays, including antigen‑specific binding, cell‑based validation, and functional testing such as blocking, cross‑reactivity, and epitope binning. Real‑time signal kinetics provide deep, high‑precision insights, enabling early selection of truly functional, high‑quality antibody leads.

How does ProBio overcome some of the limitations of traditional Beacon platforms?

While Beacon® enables precise single B‑cell screening, its sensitivity is inherently limited by biology. With only one B cell per NanoPen®, antibody concentrations remain at nanogram‑per‑milliliter levels, increasing the risk of false positives and false negatives and constraining on‑chip assay complexity. In addition, limited B‑cell viability restricts on‑chip screening to only a few rounds. ProBio overcomes these constraints by extending screening beyond the chip. Simple binding or blocking assays are performed on‑chip, while more complex functional evaluations, such as reporter gene assays, enzymatic assays, internalization studies, and epitope binning, are conducted off‑chip using ProSpeed™ Expression. This plasmid‑free linear expression system rapidly generates recombinant antibodies at microgram‑per‑milliliter concentrations, enabling high‑throughput, multi‑round functional screening with improved sensitivity, faster turnaround, and lower overall cost.

How does ProSpeed™ Expression differ?

ProSpeed™ Expression is a proprietary linear antibody expression technology built on deep in‑house know‑how. Through extensive optimization of primer design, expression conditions, and proprietary reagents, ProBio has developed a sophisticated PCR strategy that enables direct generation of linear expression cassettes. The primers incorporate a universal region alongside recombination modules, enabling rapid, efficient antibody expression without traditional cloning, supporting faster, more reliable functional screening.

Is the platform compatible with transgenic mice?

Yes, it compatible with transgenic mice, and the workflow are as same as wild-type mice. ProBio has established partnership with three transgenic animal platform which are from OmniAb® from Ligand in US, Alloy ATX-GKTM Mouse in US and CAMouseTM from CAMAB in China. We have been authorized to use their animals to provide our antibody discovery service.

Single B Cell Screening

An advanced antibody discovery platform designed to rapidly generate high‑quality, functional antibody leads. Eliminating traditional cell fusion and library construction steps to significantly shorten discovery timelines.

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Rapid discovery of diverse, functional antibody leads in as little as one month.

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Platform and ProSpeed™ Expression

Bruker's Beacon® Optofluidic Technology

Beacon® integrates optical positioning with microfluidic technology to enable faster, smarter antibody discovery by precisely isolating single cells and delivering immediate on-chip functional readouts.

Automated relative affinity ranking identifies high-quality antibody candidates earlier, preserving rare high-value clones, and accelerating confident lead selection with minimal risk of missed opportunities

• Faster discovery with fewer missed opportunities

• Early certainty in antibody selection, by design

ProSpeed™ Expression

Accelerates antibody discovery by eliminating gene synthesis and plasmid preparation, enabling high-throughput functional screening directly from recombinant supernatants.

By extending and enhancing Beacon® screening capabilities, this approach shortens development timelines, reduces costs, and increases confidence in identifying true, high-value leads.

• Faster and improved functional validation

• More functional data, earlier, by design

An integrated approach that expands functional assay flexibility, enables iterative downstream screening, enhances sensitivity and hit validation, recovers otherwise missed high-value antibodies, and ultimately delivers more validated leads with greater cost-efficiency.

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ProSpeed platform DLL3 cancer target antibody discovery case study

The use of the ProSpeed™ platform to discover antibodies against DLL3, a cancer-related target.

Single-domain antibody discovery integrated with ProSpeed platform case study

Integrated Single-Domain Antibody (sdAb / VHH) sdAb Discovery ProSpeed™ platform

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Utilization of ProSpeed™ Expression System

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Functional antibody lead discovery at early screening stage resource guide

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