Thermo Electron Corporation has announces the availability of Multiple Antigen Peptides (MAPs) for immunization to raise antibodies. Synthesizing MAPs is an efficient method of enhancing antigenicity (the ability to raise antibodies) of small peptides. MAPs are alternatives to peptides coupled to carriers KLH, BSA, or OVA proteins. They are available as MAP 4 or MAP 8 molecules (4 or 8 branches, respectively).

The peptide of interest on each of the branches can be synthesized, resulting in MAPs large enough to be recognized as "foreign" substances by the immune system. Thermo's MAPs are completely synthetic molecules so antibodies are only raised against the peptide of interest and not against carrier proteins. They are highly antigenic, which makes them more efficient than peptide-protein conjugates. MAPs are independent of animal-type