In 2012, a landmark study conducted by Glenn Begley and his team concluded that the majority of cancer research studies were not reproducible, demonstrating that a startling 47 out of 53 published findings could not be replicated (Nature 483, 531-533; 2012). The implications for biomedical research are potentially staggering considering the billions spent on research every year, some suggesting that as much as $28 billion dollars are wasted on irreproducible pre-clinical research every year (Freedman LP, et. al. PLoS Biology 13: e1002165). While many factors are likely to be involved, research reagents, particularly antibodies used in a wide variety of applications, have been at the center of the discussion.
In 2016, BioLegend in cooperation with key stakeholders from academia, antibody producers, pharma, funders, and journal publishers came together to discuss possible solutions for developing antibody validation standards.
Through our rigorous quality standards and continuous improvement initiatives, we are dedicated to supporting scientific research by continuing to provide high quality, validated antibodies.