Altogen Labs Expands Preclinical Immunology Capabilities for Vaccine and Immuno-Oncology Research

AUSTIN, Texas – October 19, 2025 – Altogen Labs today detailed its preclinical immunology capabilities supporting vaccine development, cancer immunotherapy, immune-modulating therapeutics, and cell-based treatment programs. The platform combines immunocompetent, immunodeficient, syngeneic, and humanized animal models with immunogenicity assessment, tumor efficacy studies, immune-response profiling, molecular analysis, and in vivo safety evaluation.

Selection of an appropriate model is particularly important for immune-directed therapeutics because pharmacological activity frequently depends on specific immune-cell populations, receptors, cytokines, or tumor-immune interactions. Checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1 (PDCD1), PD-L1 (CD274), and CTLA-4 require functional immune components, while emerging immunotherapy programs may involve LAG3, TIGIT, HAVCR2/TIM-3, costimulatory receptors, cytokine pathways, or combinations of multiple immune mechanisms. Clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated that responses to checkpoint inhibition reflect interactions among tumor genotype, antigen presentation, T-cell infiltration, interferon signaling, and the local tumor microenvironment.

For immuno-oncology studies, Altogen Labs uses syngeneic tumor models such as CT26, MC38, 4T1, B16, LL2, EL4, A20, Renca, S180, H22, and Hepa1-6 when an intact murine immune system is required. These models permit simultaneous evaluation of tumor response and host immunity and are applicable to checkpoint blockade, immune agonists, cytokine-directed treatments, combination therapies, and other approaches dependent on functional T cells, B cells, macrophages, natural killer cells, or other immune populations.

Humanized mouse models provide an alternative for therapeutics requiring human immune-cell interactions. Models reconstituted with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells or CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells can support studies of T-cell-dependent antibodies, bispecific and multispecific molecules, engineered immune cells, and other agents whose activity cannot be adequately represented by murine immune receptors. Conventional immunodeficient CDX and PDX models remain appropriate when the primary objective is direct tumor-cell activity, target engagement, tumor pharmacodynamics, or assessment of therapeutics that do not require an intact host immune response.

Immune profiling can be incorporated directly into efficacy studies. Relevant endpoints may include CD3+ and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, CD4+ populations, regulatory T-cell markers such as FOXP3, and changes in immune activation or exhaustion markers. Molecular analysis can include expression of PDCD1, CD274, CTLA4, IFNG, IL2, IL6, TNF, and other study-specific genes, while cytokine measurements, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, histopathology, RT-PCR, and protein analysis provide complementary assessment of pharmacodynamic responses. The biological importance of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses and multiple inhibitory pathways in checkpoint therapy has been demonstrated extensively in mechanistic immuno-oncology studies.

The same immunological infrastructure supports preclinical vaccine evaluation. Altogen Labs conducts studies in immunocompetent animal models with assessment of humoral and cellular responses, antigen-specific antibody production, cytokine profiles, immune-cell populations, and expression of immune activation markers. Study designs can incorporate multiple dose levels, prime-boost schedules, adjuvant comparisons, longitudinal blood collection, terminal tissue collection, and local and systemic tolerability endpoints.

Nucleic acid vaccine programs require additional consideration of innate immune sensing. RNA can activate endosomal receptors including TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8 as well as cytoplasmic sensors such as RIG-I/DDX58 and MDA5/IFIH1. These pathways converge on interferon and inflammatory signaling and can influence antigen expression, adjuvant activity, cytokine production, and tolerability. Lipid nanoparticle components can also contribute to innate immune activation, including pathways involving NLRP3 and IL-6. Experimental studies of mRNA vaccination have demonstrated that these innate mechanisms can contribute directly to adaptive CD8+ T-cell, T follicular helper-cell, and germinal-center B-cell responses. For this reason, vaccine studies can combine immunogenicity endpoints with measurement of inflammatory and interferon-associated responses to distinguish productive immune activation from excessive or nonspecific inflammation. This is particularly relevant to mRNA, DNA, and other nucleic acid platforms in which sequence design, delivery system, dose, and formulation can substantially alter innate immune recognition.

Safety evaluation can be integrated with immunogenicity or efficacy studies and may include clinical observations, body weight, hematology, clinical chemistry, necropsy, organ assessment, injection-site evaluation, and histopathology. Acute, sub-chronic, and longer-duration study designs are available depending on product class, dosing schedule, and development stage. Altogen Labs supports studies of vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, immune agonists, bispecific and multispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, nucleic acid therapeutics, CAR-T and other engineered cell products, targeted agents, and combination regimens. Tumor growth inhibition, regression, survival, PK/PD sampling, immune profiling, molecular analysis, and pathology can be incorporated within a single experimental program to relate therapeutic activity to mechanism of action. Altogen Labs has conducted preclinical research at its IACUC-regulated Austin, Texas facility since 2009, supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic organizations with in vivo oncology, immunology, pharmacology, toxicology, and translational research.

About Altogen Labs

Altogen Labs is a GLP-compliant preclinical contract research organization providing in vivo pharmacology, oncology, immunology, toxicology, and biology CRO services. The company maintains a broad collection of validated CDX, PDX, syngeneic, humanized, patient-derived, organoid, and other preclinical models and supports research programs from early proof-of-concept through advanced efficacy, PK/PD, safety, and IND-supporting studies.

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