Antibody discovery programs often begin with multiple possible paths. Teams may need to compare:
different species
different cohorts
different tissue sources
different immunization strategies
different cell enrichment strategies
Testing every path in a full discovery campaign is rarely practical. Resources are limited, timelines are right, and sample availability may not support broad parallel campaigns. That makes early decisions high-stakes: choose the wrong sample, and teams can lose time, budget, and momentum before the real discovery work even begins.
First Look Assay is a low-cost, small-scale antibody screening study performed on multiple samples before a full campaign. Using AbTheneum cell isolation and antibody screening, samples are run in parallel under the intended screening plan so teams can compare outcomes at single-cell resolution. Because antibodies are not sequenced in First Look, the study stays cost-effective while still delivering meaningful information about each sample’s response. The resulting report summarizes hit rate, assay performance, and projected hit count to help teams select the best sample and de-risk downstream discovery.
Antibody discovery programs often begin with multiple possible paths, including different species, tissue sources, immunization strategies, animal strains, or enrichment approaches. Limited time, budget, and sample availability make it impractical to fully screen every option, so teams need an early way to compare samples at the single-cell level and identify the one most likely to deliver the right antibodies before committing to full discovery.
First Look Assay was designed for exactly this stage of decision-making. Instead of launching directly into a full campaign, teams can screen smaller aliquots of frozen cells from multiple candidate samples and compare them side-by-side using the intended assay plan. The workflow moves from sample selection to cell isolation, antibody screening, readout, and ranking, allowing teams to identify the strongest sample before scaling up. The workflow (Figure 1) shows this progression clearly, ending in a decision step that advances the strongest sample to full discovery.
Figure 1. First Look workflow comparing multiple samples in parallel. Each sample uses a smaller aliquot of frozen cells to run AbTheneum screening (without sequencing) and deliver a report of the single cell readouts from all samples to help make informed decisions.
Because First Look does not include sequencing, it provides an efficient and cost-conscious way to learn which sample is most promising without taking on the cost and complexity of a full discovery campaign. The report is focused on the outputs that matter most for early prioritization:
That gives antibody developers more than just an early readout. It gives them a defensible way to choose where to go deeper, refine their screening plan, and make the case internally for the next stage of work.
In Figure 2, First Look compared Sample A and Sample B and identified a clear front-runner. As shown, Sample A delivered stronger performance than Sample B across total hits, cross-reactive hits, receptor-blocking hits, and benchmark-competing hits, supporting full-discovery follow-up of Sample A.
This is where First Look creates value: it helps teams make better early-stage campaign decisions before larger investments are locked in. By comparing candidate samples side-by-side at the single-cell level, developers can move forward with a stronger rationale, a better-informed assay plan, and more confidence that the selected path is the right one. The result is not just an early screen. It is a practical way to reduce uncertainty and improve the odds of success downstream.