15 June 2010
University of Dundee First to Install Biacore 4000 SPR System
Enables fast, reliable and cost-effective screening of fragment
libraries
Dundee, Scotland, 15th June 2010: The University of Dundee announced
today that it has become the first facility worldwide to take delivery
of Biacore(tm) 4000. Biacore 4000 is a powerful solution for
large-scale, label-free molecular interaction analysis in drug
discovery, from early screening to characterization. The University of
Dundee and spin-out company Kinetic Discovery Ltd will be using the
system to focus on developing biophysical fragment based screening
methodologies for efficient drug discovery.
Dr Iva Navratilova, Independent Investigator, University of Dundee and
founder of Kinetic Discovery, commented: 'We are developing biosensor
based screening methods that enable us to characterise the kinetics and
thermodynamics of molecular interactions. The unprecedented combination
of high sample capacity and sensitivity provided by Biacore 4000 means
we can now carry out highly accurate screening of our fragment library
in only a couple of days, rather than the weeks it would have otherwise
taken.'
Dr. Navratilova also plans to use Biacore 4000 to continue her work on
developing biosensor SPR methods for screening native membrane proteins
such as GPCRs, an important class of drug targets. SPR is used to
characterise complex kinetic interactions of GPCRs with their natural
ligands or low molecular weight inhibitors. The system is designed for
large-scale parallel interaction analyses, with the capability to
analyze up to 4800 interactions in 24hrs, ideal for running biophysical
screening campaigns on selected compound libraries.
Structural methods used for fragment screening present several technical
challenges, including consumption of large amounts of target protein,
and a requirement for high sample concentrations due to the low
(typically micromolar to millimolar) affinities exhibited by fragments,
which leads to solubility/non-specific binding issues. SPR-based
strategies can be designed to overcome many of these issues, providing
an efficient, informative complement to structural methods. The kinetic
information obtained can then be used to support further compound
optimisation efforts.
'We're very excited to be the first facility to install a Biacore 4000
instrument', said Prof. Andrew Hopkins, Chair of Medicinal Informatics
and SULSA Research Professor of Translational Biology, University of
Dundee, and CEO of Kinetic Discovery: 'We believe this reinforces our
position as a world leader in the field of SPR based fragment screening,
and we look forward to seeing the many benefits the purchase will make
to our research efforts.'
Notes to editors
About The University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is internationally recognised for its
excellence in life sciences and medical research with particular
expertise in cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and tropical
diseases. The University has a top-rated medical school with research
expanding from 'the cell to the clinic to the community', while the
College of Life Sciences is home to some of the world's most cited
scientists among 800 research staff from 60 different countries. Dundee
is also the UK's third highest generator of per capita research income,
much of it focussed on medical and life sciences research. See
www.dundee.ac.uk for more details.
About Kinetic Discovery
Kinetic Discovery (www.kineticdiscovery.com) offers high quality kinetic
analysis and biosensor screening for drug discovery projects. Kinetic
Discovery specialises in determining the kinetic profiles of molecular
interactions using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) methods for small
molecules, antibodies and peptides with proteins, cells and lipid
membranes. Kinetic Discovery offers customers the most advanced methods
and technology for rapid and reliable fragment screening to enable hit
discovery. The company's scientists are recognised world leaders in
applying SPR screening to membrane proteins, such as GPCRs. Kinetic
Discovery is a University of Dundee spin-out company, operating in
Dundee, Scotland, UK.
Contact
College Hill
Lynne Trowbridge, Katie Odgaard, Karen Manser
+44 (0)20 7866 7861
Karen.Manser@collegehill.com
For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902 |
