The international iReceptor Plus consortium, an international project co-funded by the EU and the Canadian government, is launching the technology tools and infrastructure developed within the EU-funded project, to facilitate the sharing and analyses of antibody and T-cell receptor sequencing (AIRR-seq) data from COVID-19 patients as soon as these data become available, it was reported on Monday.

Presently, the iReceptor Plus project is building a technological platform with accompanying bioinformatics and machine learning tools to facilitate sharing and joint research of specific immunological data for the purpose of basic research and developing new therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases and cancer. Among others, the iReceptor Plus Platform is at the stage where it is ready to incorporate data and be utilised by its industrial partner, 10x Genomics.

The iReceptor Plus project works in close coordination with the Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire (AIRR) Community. In collaboration with the AIRR Community, iReceptor Plus is mapping the different efforts in producing AIRR-seq data in the context of COVID-19. The aim is to approach the companies and research groups that are producing the data and offer full support in making it publicly available. Rapid sharing of these data across laboratories and institutions through the AIRR Data Commons, accessible through the iReceptor Gateway, is critical to the search for anti-COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines.