ULTRA-SENSITIVE PROTEOMICS · MSD ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE SERVICES

The proven platform for validated multiplex biomarker quantification

More than 400 validated V-PLEX® assays, ultra-sensitive S-PLEX® single-plex, and flexible U-PLEX® custom multiplexing, for clinical trials, PK/PD, immunogenicity and translational research.

Run in our own laboratory, with data back in two weeks.

More than 400 validated V-PLEX® assays, ultra-sensitive S-PLEX® single-plex, and flexible U-PLEX® custom multiplexing, for clinical trials, PK/PD, immunogenicity and translational research.

Run in our own laboratory, with data back in two weeks.

Request a quote

Request a quote

400+ validated assays with documented performance

400+ validated assays with documented performance

400+ validated assays with documented performance

Data in 2 weeks

Data in 2 weeks

Data in 2 weeks

Up to 10 analytes per well

Up to 10 analytes per well

Up to 10 analytes per well

HTA licensed, GCP compliant

HTA licensed, GCP compliant

HTA licensed, GCP compliant

Start with your target list

Send us your analytes, matrix and cohort size. We will tell you which format fits, whether a validated panel already covers your targets or a custom U-PLEX is needed, and what the study will take. Wew ill reply within one working day.

If MSD is not the right platform for your study, we will say so, and tell you what is.

WHAT IS MSD

Validated multiplex quantification, built for scale

Not every biomarker programme is defined by pushing detection limits as far as they will go. Many studies need something different:

  • Established assays with a documented performance package

  • Reproducible multiplex measurement across sites and timepoints

  • A long track record in regulated workflows

  • A cost per sample that works across a large cohort

MSD®, Meso Scale Discovery electrochemiluminescence, is built for that work. SULFO-TAG™ labels and patterned electrode arrays in multi-spot wells measure up to 10 analytes per well, with broad dynamic range and high reproducibility.


The V-PLEX catalogue includes more than 400 pre-validated assays used across cytokine, chemokine, immunogenicity and serology programmes in biopharma drug development, within a wider MSD catalogue of over 500 assays across all formats.


MSD sits alongside NULISA and Simoa in our laboratory as one of three complementary immunoassay platforms.

NULISA, the NUcleic acid Linked Immuno-Sandwich Assay, changes that.


A sequential capture-and-release mechanism suppresses assay background by around 10,000-fold compared with traditional proximity ligation, moving detection into the attomolar range, or low to sub-fg/mL.


Historically you chose between sensitivity and breadth. NULISA gives you both: up to 340 targets in a single run, with the low-abundance proteins still measurable.


Certification means your study runs on the ARGO™ HT automated system using Alamar's curated panels, with our scientists on it from the first conversation.

WHERE WE WORK

One platform, several analytical formats

MSD uses electrochemiluminescence detection across several formats within one platform. We select the format around the study rather than forcing every project into one assay type.

V-PLEX®

Pre-validated multiplex panels with documented performance specifications. The default where an established panel covers your targets.

S-PLEX®

Ultra-sensitive single-plex, reducing detection limits by 10- to 1,000-fold over standard formats and reaching the low femtogram-per-millilitre range.

U-PLEX®

Customisable multiplexing of up to 10 analytes per well, where the combination you need does not exist as a validated panel.

R-PLEX®

Single-plex assays with antibody flexibility, for a single well-characterised target, including emerging biomarkers outside the validated menu.


T-PLEX® and N-PLEX®

MSD’s wider kit lines, alongside the standard research-grade range covering tissue culture supernatant, whole cell lysate, serum or plasma and base kit formats.


V-PLEX®

Profile amyloid, multiple tau species, NfL, GFAP, synaptic proteins and neuroinflammatory mediators from a single CSF or plasma draw.

Used in Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body disease and rare neurological disorders.

S-PLEX®

Ultra-sensitive single-plex, reducing detection limits by 10- to 1,000-fold over standard formats and reaching the low femtogram-per-millilitre range.

U-PLEX®

PK/PD biomarker work, target engagement, toxicology panels, longitudinal monitoring and early-phase clinical trials.

Absolute quantitation is often required for regulatory or cross-study comparability.

R-PLEX®

Single-plex assays with antibody flexibility, for a single well-characterised target, including emerging biomarkers outside the validated menu.


T-PLEX® and N-PLEX®

MSD’s wider kit lines, alongside the standard research-grade range covering tissue culture supernatant, whole cell lysate, serum or plasma and base kit formats.


We run every MSD product line, so format selection follows your study.

WHY SIMOA®

What you gain

Validated multiplex at scale

More than 400 pre-validated assays with documented sensitivity, precision, recovery, linearity and reproducibility. The validation package comes with the assay rather than having to be generated.

Broad sensitivity range within one platform

V-PLEX supports picogram-per-millilitre multiplex measurement. S-PLEX extends detection into the femtogram-per-millilitre range for selected ultra-sensitive single-analyte work, so a study can cover both without changing supplier or platform.

Built for regulated workflows

MSD is widely used in GLP, GCP and regulated bioanalysis, with median CVs typically under 10%, manufacturer-controlled lot-to-lot performance and broad regulatory acceptance. Lot consistency holds a multi-year study together.

Cost per sample across a large cohort

Ten analytes per well, established kits and no custom development make MSD the most economical of our three platforms for routine measurement at volume, with no upper limit on cohort size. Where a study does not need attomolar sensitivity, there is no reason to pay for it.

Established sample compatibility

Serum, plasma, CSF, urine, cell-culture supernatants and tissue lysates, all with existing validation behind them.

Three platforms, one laboratory

MSD sits alongside NULISA and Simoa here. Orthogonal validation and multi-platform workflows are handled internally, on the samples we already hold.

Talk to a scientist about your targets

WHY SIMOA®

Specifications at a glance

Platform

MSD electrochemiluminescence on the QuickPlex SQ 120

Formats

Every MSD product line: V-PLEX validated multiplex, S-PLEX ultra-sensitive, U-PLEX custom multiplex, R-PLEX single-plex, T-PLEX, N-PLEX and standard research-grade kits, plus custom development

Multiplexing

1 to 10 analytes per well, 96-well format

Sensitivity

Picogram-per-millilitre for V-PLEX multiplex. Low femtogram-per-millilitre for S-PLEX, a 10- to 1,000-fold reduction in detection limit

Assay menu

More than 400 pre-validated V-PLEX assays within a wider MSD catalogue of over 500, plus U-PLEX and custom development

Dynamic range

Over 5 logs

Precision

Median CVs typically under 10%, with manufacturer-controlled lot-to-lot consistency

Sample volume

25 to 50 µL per well, assay-dependent. Ship 35 µL against a 25 µL assay, 65 µL against a 50 µL assay. Confirmed per panel at scoping

Matrices

Serum, plasma, CSF, urine, cell-culture supernatant and tissue lysate, with existing validation. High matrix tolerance. Non-standard matrices scoped for feasibility

Data output

Absolute concentrations in pg/mL against a full calibration curve

Deliverables

Normalised data, calibration curves, QC metrics and run documentation. Bioinformatic analysis available

Turnaround

Two weeks from sample receipt for validated assays. Custom development quoted separately

Cohort size

No upper limit. Plate-based 96-well throughput scales across cohorts of any size

Quality framework

HTA licence 12818. GCP-compliant workflows. Aligned to ISO 15189

Regulatory status

For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures

Platform

Simoa on the SR-X Biomarker Detection System

Sensitivity

Up to 1,000-fold greater than conventional ELISA.

Femtogram-per-millilitre for many targets.

SR-X performance figures confirmed per assay at scoping

Multiplexing

Single-plex to 4-plex, depending on assay

Assay menu

Any SR-X-compatible Simoa assay across neurology, inflammation, oncology, cardiology and infectious disease, plus Homebrew custom development

Sample volume

25 to 100 µL per replicate, assay-dependent, and lower on SR-X than automated formats. Ship the assay requirement plus 10 µL. Confirmed per assay at scoping

Matrices

Plasma, serum, CSF and brain lysate as standard. Non-standard matrices scoped for feasibility

Data output

Absolute concentrations in pg/mL

Deliverables

Normalised data, calibration curves, QC metrics and run documentation. Bioinformatic analysis available

Turnaround

Two weeks from sample receipt for validated assays. Homebrew development quoted separately

Cohort size

Up to [X] samples. For larger cohorts we would recommend NULISA, and will say so

Quality framework

HTA licence 12818. GCP-compliant workflows. Aligned to ISO 15189

Regulatory status

For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures

Sample requirements

Why we ask for more than the assay uses

Freeze and thaw

Shipping samples internationally

Sample requirements

Why we ask for more than the assay uses

Freeze and thaw

Shipping samples internationally

AVAILABLE PANELS AND ASSAYS

Panels and assays

We run the full MSD product range, every format and every kit line. The right choice depends on the scientific and regulatory requirements of the study, and we confirm assay availability for your targets at scoping.

V-PLEX® validated multiplex panels

S-PLEX® ultra-sensitive single-plex

U-PLEX® customisable multiplex

R-PLEX® single-plex

T-PLEX®, N-PLEX® and the standard kit range

Custom assay development

Proinflammatory Panel 1

Cytokine Panel 1 and Cytokine Panel 2

Chemokine Panel 1

TH17 Panel 1

Angiogenesis and Vascular Injury panels

Neuroinflammation panel

Serology panels


IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13 and TNF-α. The most widely used inflammation panel on the platform.


WHY MSD®

Is MSD the right fit for your study?

We run three complementary immunoassay platforms, MSD, NULISA and Simoa. Which one your biology needs is a question we answer at scoping, and the answer is not always MSD.

Choose MSD when

You need validated multiplex panels across roughly 5 to 10 analytes per well.

Reproducibility and a documented assay-performance package matter more than maximum sensitivity.

The study operates under GLP, GCP or another regulated framework.

Your biomarkers sit comfortably in the picogram-per-millilitre range.

Your work centres on cytokines, chemokines, immunogenicity or vascular biomarkers, where MSD coverage is deepest.

You need a customisable U-PLEX panel for a defined pathway or pharmacology question.

Cost per sample across a large cohort is a real constraint.

Choose Simoa when

A single well-characterised biomarker is the study and you need the deepest sensitivity with the longest publication record behind the method. That applies most to p-Tau217, NfL, GFAP and Aβ ratios, where a reviewer will ask about the literature base.

More information about Simoa

Choose NULISA when

You need broad discovery-scale profiling, up to approximately 340 targets in a single run, without losing sensitivity on the low-abundance ones.

More information about NULISA

On the neurology overlap

S-PLEX, Simoa and NULISA all measure p-Tau217, NfL and GFAP. The choice is not about which is best in the abstract. If those markers sit inside a wider MSD panel or a regulated workflow, S-PLEX keeps everything on one platform. If one marker is the study and the literature comparison matters, Simoa. If you are still narrowing candidates, NULISA. We will advise you which applies to your design.

Or use more than one

Hybrid workflows are common: MSD multiplex profiling followed by Simoa or NULISA on the high-value targets. The second stage is scheduled internally, and the sample never leaves our custody.

Platform selection is agreed during scoping, before you commit samples.

Hybrid workflows are common: MSD multiplex profiling followed by Simoa or NULISA on the high-value targets. The second stage is scheduled internally, and the sample never leaves our custody.

Platform selection is agreed during scoping, before you commit samples.

WHERE WE WORK

Where MSD delivers

Cytokine and chemokine profiling

V-PLEX inflammation, cytokine, chemokine and TH17 panels are established tools across autoimmunity, infection, transplantation and immuno-oncology.

Profile amyloid, multiple tau species, NfL, GFAP, synaptic proteins and neuroinflammatory mediators from a single CSF or plasma draw.

Used in Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body disease and rare neurological disorders.

Immunogenicity, PK and PD

Anti-drug antibody screening, neutralising antibody assays, PK quantification and pharmacodynamic biomarkers, where MSD’s regulatory acceptance matters most. Assay design, cut-point strategy and validation scope are agreed with you upfront against the regulatory framework your programme reports to.

PK/PD biomarker work, target engagement, toxicology panels, longitudinal monitoring and early-phase clinical trials.

Absolute quantitation is often required for regulatory or cross-study comparability.

Clinical trial biomarker support

Multi-site and multi-timepoint measurement. Validated kits and locked-down protocols hold data comparable across sites and across years.

Multi-site and multi-timepoint measurement. Validated kits and locked-down protocols hold data comparable across sites and across years.

Vaccine and infectious disease serology

Serology panels across respiratory, coronavirus and orthopoxvirus antigen families, for vaccine development, seroprevalence and infection-monitoring research. Influenza A and B, RSV, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza, rhinovirus and enterovirus antigens on the respiratory panels. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and variant-level spike, with ACE2 neutralisation giving a functional neutralising readout alongside titre. Mpox and vaccinia antigens on the orthopoxvirus panel. IgG, IgM and IgA depending on the panel, so recent and established responses can be separated on the same platform.

Vascular and cardiovascular biomarkers

Angiogenesis, vascular injury and cardiac biomarker panels supporting cardiovascular research, oncology vascular biology and toxicology endpoints.

Neuroinflammation and ultra-sensitive neurology

V-PLEX for neuroinflammation profiling, with S-PLEX for ultra-sensitive plasma neurodegeneration markers including NfL, GFAP and phospho-tau species.

HOW IT WORKS

How an MSD project runs with us

From first conversation to publication-ready data, a typical project moves through six stages. We confirm timings for your study at quote.

1. Scoping conversation
We understand the biomarker question and study requirements, and tell you if another platform would serve you better.
2. Study design and quote
We agree format selection, matrix strategy, panel choice, QC approach and validation scope, then issue a written quote with a delivery date. Quotes are returned within one working day.
3. Sample receipt and accessioning
Samples are logged, inspected against the manifest and QC-checked on arrival. You get written confirmation of receipt and condition within two working days, before anything is consumed.
4. Assay delivery
Your study runs on the selected MSD format with the QC and bridging samples agreed at design stage, so results stay comparable across plates, sites and timepoints.
5. Data delivery
Absolute concentrations in pg/mL, with calibration curves, QC metrics and run documentation, two weeks from sample receipt. Standard analysis is included; extended bioinformatics is available and quoted separately. We tell you at scoping which your study needs.
6. Follow-on validation or extension
Orthogonal validation on Simoa or NULISA, or longitudinal extension of the cohort, without moving supplier.

Built for reproducible and regulated biomarker work

Assay-level evidence

V-PLEX panels come with documented performance characteristics covering sensitivity, precision, recovery, linearity and reproducibility.

Oligonucleotide-conjugated antibodies capture the target, release it, and capture it again. Each step strips away unbound antibody and non-specific complexes, so the background that limits conventional immunoassays is removed before the signal is ever read.


Platform consistency

  • Median CVs typically under 10%

  • Manufacturer-controlled lot-to-lot performance

  • Broad use in regulated bioanalysis

Beads are loaded into an array of femtolitre-scale wells, each sized to hold a single bead, and sealed.




Laboratory quality

  • HTA licence 12818

  • GCP-compliant workflows

  • Aligned to ISO 15189

The same automated platform supports two routes:

  • qPCR for fast single-plex and low-plex quantification of established biomarkers

  • NGS for high-plex discovery across large target sets

Programmes can move from broad discovery to focused validation without changing platform, laboratory or antibody pairs, so the data stays comparable across the life of the study.


1. Sequential capture and release

Oligonucleotide-conjugated antibodies capture the target, release it, and capture it again. Each step strips away unbound antibody and non-specific complexes, so the background that limits conventional immunoassays is removed before the signal is ever read.


2. DNA-linked detection

The immunoassay signal is encoded as a DNA barcode. Nothing is read as colour or light. A countable digital signal scales cleanly to hundreds of targets in one well, without the cross-talk that limits conventional multiplexing.


THE ALTHEOME DIFFERENCE

Why partner with Altheome on MSD

MSD is a mature platform. What separates a good MSD laboratory from a great one is study design, matrix work, QC strategy and regulatory framing.

Speed as a design principle

We build assays as well as run them

Senior scientific oversight

Complementary platforms in-house

Matrices beyond the standard set

Quality framework

We were founded because biomarker work was taking months when it should take weeks.

Typical turnaround is two weeks from sample receipt, and we confirm a delivery date at quote, before contracting.

THE ALTHEOME DIFFERENCE

Why partner with Altheome on MSD

MSD is a mature platform. What separates a good MSD laboratory from a great one is study design, matrix work, QC strategy and regulatory framing.

One connected workflow

Honest about scope

Sequencing alongside proteomics

Senior scientific oversight

Speed

Quality framework

Library preparation and sequencing treated as one workflow rather than two technical steps with a handover in the middle.

THE ALTHEOME DIFFERENCE

Why partner with Altheome on MSD

MSD is a mature platform. What separates a good MSD laboratory from a great one is study design, matrix work, QC strategy and regulatory framing.

Speed as a design principle

We build assays as well as run them

Senior scientific oversight

Complementary platforms in-house

Matrices beyond the standard set

Quality framework

We were founded because biomarker work was taking months when it should take weeks.

Typical turnaround is two weeks from sample receipt, and we confirm a delivery date at quote, before contracting.

Tell us about your study

Send us your biomarkers, matrix and cohort size, and a senior scientist will tell you which format fits, or which platform does.

Talk to a scientist

Request a quote

Running a multi-study programme? You will hear from us within one working day.

Explore a partnership

Tell us about your study

Send us your biomarkers, matrix and cohort size, and a senior scientist will tell you which format fits, or which platform does.

Talk to a scientist

Request a quote

Running a multi-study programme? You will hear from us within one working day.

Explore a partnership

Related plataforms
Related applications

Still curious? Find answers in our FAQ's.

FAQ page

Related plataforms
Related applications

Still curious? Find answers in our FAQ's.

FAQ page