IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,517,127
Granted Patent B2
US 12,517,127 · App. 17/266,827 · Granted Jan 6, 2026

Virus neutralization assay utilizing imaging cytometry

Inventors: Melissa C. Whiteman (Tomball, TX); Joseph M. Antonello (Blue Bell, PA); Leah A. Bogardus (Rahway, NJ); Danila G. Giacone (Bound Brook, NJ); Dengyun Sun (Whippany, NJ); Amy H. Hsu (Edison, NJ); Kevin B. Gurney (Morristown, NJ); Leonard J. Rubinstein (Lansdale, PA)
Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
G01N33/56983G01N2333/185
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,517,127
App. No.
17/266,827
Granted
Jan 6, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The instant invention describes a virus reduction neutralization test (VRNT) which is a rapid, high throughput alternative to current standard low throughput and laborious neutralization assays. The VRNT utilizes imaging cytometry to count virus-infected cells at about one day post-infection (thus eliminating the wait time other assays employ allowing for viral infection cell to cell), reducing overall assay time and increasing throughput at least 15-fold.

Claims (15)

1 . A dengue virus (DENV) neutralization assay to determine the amount of DENV neutralizing antibody in a sample, the assay comprising:

A) an incubation step: wherein a mixture comprising i) DENV and ii) a sample is incubated; wherein sample antibody, if present in the sample, binds to the DENV rendering the bound DENV neutralized;

B) a plating step: wherein predetermined amounts of the mixture from step A are added to seeded Vero cells in individual wells of 96-well plates; wherein unbound DENV is free to infect the Vero cells, wherein beforehand the cells were seeded, and plates held at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before placing the plates in a 37° C. incubator, wherein the Vero cells are adherent cell lines;

C) an infection step: wherein the Vero cells, after the step B addition of the predetermined amounts of the mixture, are incubated for an amount of time (the infection incubation time) to allow DENV infection; wherein the infection incubation time lasts no longer than about 24 hours,

wherein the DENV-infected Vero cells do not overlap or fuse together during the infection incubation time due to the infection incubation time not lasting longer than about 24 hours;

D) a fixing step;

E) a detection step; and

F) an imaging step: wherein the DENV-infected Vero cells are individually counted through single cell imaging utilizing imaging cytometry and software, to determine the amount of DENV neutralizing antibody in the sample.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the DENV is dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV1).

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the DENV is dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV2).

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the DENV is dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV3).

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the DENV is dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV4).

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein step D comprises a fixative which is selected from the group consisting of methanol, acetone, ethanol, formalin and a mixture of paraformaldehyde and octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol, or a combination thereof.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the fixative is a 1:1 mixture of methanol/acetone.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sample is a dengue vaccinated clinical serum sample.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Aug 8, 2022
From: MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORP.
To: MERCK SHARP & DOHME LLC
Reel/Frame 061102/0145 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2021
From: WHITEMAN, MELISSA C.; ANTONELLO, JOSEPH M.; BOGARDUS, LEAH A.; GIACONE, DANILA G.; RUBINSTEIN, LEONARD J.; SUN, DENGYUN; TOU, AMY H.M.; GURNEY, KEVIN B.
To: MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORP.
Reel/Frame 055182/0977 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62718496 · Aug 14, 2018
Related Publication 20210293818A1 · Sep 23, 2021
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