Phage Display Antibody & Nanobody Development
Direct access to human monoclonal antibodies & VHH nanobodies — no hybridoma limits
Bypass traditional immunization constraints. Obtain high-affinity binders in <8 weeks from immune, naïve, or synthetic libraries in scFv, Fab, or VHH (nanobody) formats. Guaranteed ≥3 unique binders validated by ELISA. Specialized camelid VHH discovery for difficult and cryptic epitopes.
🔬 VHH Nanobody Technology — Next-Generation Biologics
What are Nanobodies?
Camelid heavy-chain antibodies (HcAb) are naturally occurring antibodies composed only of two heavy chains. The variable domain (VHH) retains full antigen-binding capacity, is stable as an independent unit, and is termed nanobody.
Size: ~2.5 nm × 4 nm | MW: 12–15 kDa (1/10 of conventional IgG) | Format: Single-domain, ideal for genetic fusion.
Key Advantages of VHH
- ✔ Superior stability & low batch-to-batch variation
- ✔ Enhanced tissue/tumor penetration
- ✔ High specificity & affinity (sub-nanomolar possible)
- ✔ Easy humanization & low immunogenicity
- ✔ Ideal for CAR-T, bispecifics, ADC, and molecular imaging
- ✔ Blood-brain barrier (BBB) crossing capability
Phage Display Library Formats & VHH Discovery Routes
Choose optimal library type and antibody format — scFv, Fab, or VHH nanobody — for therapeutic, diagnostic, or research targets.
🌟 Immune Libraries (Human / Camelid)
Constructed from immunized donors (human PBMCs or alpaca/llama) with high specific antibody frequency. For VHH: after immunization, VHH repertoire is cloned into phage display vectors.
High affinity Natural in vivo maturation
📚 Naïve Libraries
Derived from healthy human donors (PBMCs/spleen) or camelid naïve VHH libraries. Diversity >10⁹. Suitable for toxic, non-immunogenic or conserved antigens.
Universal Rapid hit discovery
⚗️ Synthetic & Semi-Synthetic Libraries
Designed with randomized CDRs on stable frameworks (human or camelid scaffolds). Maximal control over diversity, developability, and thermal stability.
Designer diversity Pre-optimized scaffolds
Special Nanobody Platform: EnkiLife offers camelid immunization and VHH phage display with guaranteed ≥3 unique nanobinders. Leverage our immune VHH libraries derived from alpacas immunized with challenging targets (GPCRs, ion channels, toxins).
Rapid Turnaround
<8 weeks
From library panning to validated binders
Binding Guaranteed
≥3 high-affinity binders
Unique clones confirmed by ELISA
VHH / Nanobody Experts
Camelid Immune & Naïve
Superior stability, tissue penetration
Efficient Discovery Workflow: Antibodies & VHH Nanobodies
Streamlined process from library construction to lead candidate, adapted for scFv, Fab, and VHH formats.
Library Construction or Camelid Immunization
For VHH: alpaca/llama immunization (8-10 weeks) → RNA from PBMCs → VHH amplicon → phage display library (diversity ≥10⁹). Alternatively, use naïve or synthetic VHH/sdAb libraries.
Phage Panning & High-Throughput Screening
3-4 rounds of panning against purified protein, biotinylated antigen, cells, or membrane preparations. Polyclonal & monoclonal phage ELISA to identify unique binders. For VHH: special elution conditions to retain functional single domains.
Recombinant Expression & Purification
Subcloning into expression vectors: scFv/Fab in E. coli; VHH in E. coli or mammalian cells; full-length IgG in mammalian cells. Affinity purification, endotoxin removal, and quality control by SDS-PAGE/SEC.
Phage Display & VHH Nanobody Service Packages
| Package | Immune Library (IgG/scFv/Fab) | VHH (Nanobody) Immune Library | Naïve/Synthetic Library (scFv/VHH) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source Material | Immunized animal/human PBMCs or spleen | Alpaca/Llama immunization (VHH repertoire) | Pre-constructed naïve/synthetic library (diversity >10⁹) |
| Format | scFv, Fab, or full IgG (optional) | VHH, VHH-Fc, or bivalent VHH | scFv, Fab, or VHH nanobody |
| Panning Strategy | 3-4 rounds (protein/cell) | 3-4 rounds + competitive elution for high affinity | 3-4 rounds, optional stress selection |
| Screening | Monoclonal ELISA (up to 200 clones) | Monoclonal ELISA + sequence analysis, VHH-specific expression | Monoclonal ELISA (up to 200 clones) |
| Deliverables | ≥3 unique binders, sequences, purified antibody (optional) | ≥3 unique VHH binders, sequences, purified VHH or VHH-Fc, expression plasmid | ≥3 unique binders, sequences, purified antibodies (optional) |
| Timeline | 6-8 weeks | 8-10 weeks (including immunization) / 6 weeks if using pre-immune library | 4-6 weeks |
Why Choose EnkiLife for Antibody & VHH Discovery?
🎯 Challenging Targets
GPCRs, ion channels, toxins, conserved epitopes — phage display and VHH platforms excel where immunization fails.
⚡ Speed & Scalability
4-10 weeks to lead panel; high-throughput screening of hundreds of binders. Industrial-scale production ready.
📊 Diverse Screening Formats
Panning on purified proteins, detergent-solubilized membrane proteins, cells, exosomes, or tissue sections.
Simple Quotation & Ordering
Consultation
TAM contacts you within 24h for strategy and quote.
Approval
Review and approve final order details and price.
Project Start
Project initiated; PM provides updates until delivery.
Start Your Polyclonal Project
To discuss your target and receive a customized proposal, please email order@enkilife.com. Our team is ready to assist you right away.