The Automation Advantage

Dyax’s discovery platform extends from its core technological resource:  highly diverse phage display libraries.  These antibody, small protein and peptide libraries are engineered to provide in excess of one billion unique library members each! 

Harvesting these huge libraries to extract leads against defined target molecules provides a significant challenge that has been addressed through Dyax’s automated screening technology platform.  Integrated robotic systems, developed in-house, are used to multiplex numerous targets in parallel through the lead discovery workflow.

Central to this automated screening workflow is Dyax’s proprietary WebPhage™ analysis and data storage software.  This application has been custom-designed by Dyax to meet the unique demands of phage library screening: simultaneous analysis of both DNA sequence and assay data. 

In automated screening, each target panning selects thousands of initial library “hits” that are ranked by both sequence and assay data criteria.  To assess diversity within a group of selected hits, WebPhage™ applies advanced sequence sorting and grouping algorithms that are specific to a library type.  Multiple function and/or specificity assays are run in high throughput, and WebPhage™ cross-correlates both diversity and assay data to rapidly identify the best lead candidates from the initial hits.  Data analysis and lead selection is tightly coupled with control of robotic equipment.  Identified leads are re-arrayed from initial hits archived in microtiter plates to allow collection of the best candidates for further investigation.

Through tightly integrated data analysis and workflow control using WebPhage™, Dyax has identified antibody, peptide, and small protein leads against protein, peptide or cell antigens in a matter of weeks.  The leads with the highest probabilities for success can then be advanced for material production and for specialized assays.  


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