This product is an unconjugated, non-therapeutic recombinant analog of vudalimab, a bispecific antibody built to simultaneously engage two immune checkpoint receptors, PD-1 and CTLA-4. It is supplied for research use only and is not the clinical drug, nor is it intended for human or veterinary use. The molecule pairs the target-binding specificities of the originator in a dual-checkpoint format, making it a convenient single reagent for interrogating cooperative or additive checkpoint signaling in the same assay. Typical research applications include use as a binding and blockade reference standard, a positive control in checkpoint-blockade screens, benchmarking of internally developed anti-PD-1 or anti-CTLA-4 candidates, and characterization of dual-target engagement in cell-based systems. It is produced in a low-endotoxin, research-grade format and is available in bulk milligram-to-gram quantities to support in-vitro assay development, reagent qualification, and preclinical characterization workflows where lot-to-lot consistency and material availability matter more than clinical-grade documentation.
PD-1 (PDCD1; UniProt Q15116) and CTLA-4 (UniProt P16410) are inhibitory co-receptors that restrain T-cell responses at distinct checkpoints. PD-1 is induced on activated T cells and, on engaging its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2, recruits the phosphatase SHP-2 to dephosphorylate TCR and CD28 signaling components, dampening effector activity in peripheral tissues and the tumor microenvironment. CTLA-4 acts earlier, chiefly during priming in lymphoid tissue: it competes with the costimulatory receptor CD28 for the shared ligands CD80 and CD86, binding them with higher avidity and physically removing them by trans-endocytosis, and it contributes to regulatory T-cell suppressive function. Because the two receptors operate through non-redundant mechanisms and at different phases of the immune response, their simultaneous blockade can produce combinatorial reinvigoration of T-cell immunity, the rationale underlying dual-checkpoint targeting.