BioSeek's BioMAP platform, as described on its website, "isa drug discovery solution that delivers physiologically relevant insights abouta compound prior to lengthy and expensive animal or clinical studies." Theplatform incorporates primary human cell-based disease models in order toproduce predictive biological activity profiles for drug candidates, and helpsto improve development success rates in pharmaceutical discovery. Compounds'activity profiles are compared to more than 3,000 reference profiles in the BioMAPDatabase, each of which were generated from a well-characterized pharmacologicagent. The platform provides "clinically relevant predictions about themolecular target, mechanism of action, off-target effects, toxicity, potency,pharmacodynamic properties and biomarkers" of compounds.
"BioSeek provides a very innovative solution for drugdiscovery companies that have advanced-stage compounds," says SailajaKuchibhatla, senior vice president of business development at DiscoveRx.
The BioMAP platforms, she adds, allows companies to addressdrug discovery issues such as clinical failures from lack of efficacy orunexpected toxicities, physiological relevance of compounds and animal modelsthat are not predictive of human responses. In addition, the system allows foreasier transition from screening to clinic, she notes, and enables biomarkersand patient classification to be addressed early on in the process.
DiscoveRx currently offers an "industry-leading menu ofGPCR, kinase and now epigenetic assays," says Kuchibhatla, as well as"leading-edge solutions for assay development, lead ID and lead optimization."The acquisition will expand the company's portfolio by allowing them to offerphenotypic screening solutions in addition to their current repertoire oftarget-based screening solutions.
"DiscoveRx has continued to provide innovative solutions fordrug discovery markets. Our PathHunter, HitHunter and KINOMEscan technologiesand products have provided valuable information to researchers as they make keydecisions regarding compounds and their progression in the development pipeline… With the BioMAP offering, we will start to provide valuable information onthe potential toxicity profile of the compounds prior to the compounds enteringinto expensive animal trials," she adds.
As for the future of BioSeek's employees and facilities,Kuchibhatla notes that, "We retained the entire BioSeek team and the facilitiesas our objective was to ensure that BioSeek customers are serviced withvirtually no interruption and business continues as normal."
"BioSeek has become an integral part of the pharmaceutical industry'sdrug discovery programs, and in joining DiscoveRx, it will gain the opportunityto expand the utility of BioMap technology platform even further," Jack Davis,chairman and CEO of Asterand, said in a press release regarding the deal.
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