24 October 2006

Cyprotex adds MDR1-MDCK permeability screening service to the Cloe® Screen range of in vitro ADMET assays

Cyprotex today (24th October 2006) announces the launch of a new screening service to add to their range of permeability assays. The Cloe® Screen MDR1-MDCK is a valuable tool for drug discovery researchers for investigating drug efflux by the transporter, P-glycoprotein. The addition of the MDR1-MDCK permeability assay to the Cloe® Screen family of in vitro assays further enhances Cyprotex's reputation as a market leader in the provision of ADMET screening services.

As with the majority of Cyprotex's high quality ADME screens, the MDR1-MDCK permeability assay uses mass spectrometry as an end-point and employs Cyprotex's state-of-the-art automation capabilities. The MDR1-MDCK assay highlights early potential issues with drug permeability and is a useful predictor of brain permeability and, as such, is of particular relevance to drug discovery groups producing compounds for the treatment of central nervous system disorders. Unlike some other permeability measurements the MDR1-MDCK assay avoids the complexities of multiple transporters by focusing specifically on P-glycoprotein, one of the most well recognized efflux transporters in many tissues including the brain and intestine.

Additional permeability measurements available at Cyprotex include Caco-2 permeability, the parallel artificial membrane permeation assay (PAMPA) and an in silico model designed to predict human intestinal absorption. Together with the existing assays the MDR1-MDCK assay provides researchers with a comprehensive selection of methods for assessing permeability.

Commenting on the launch of this new assay, Dr. Darwin Cheney, Cyprotex's Chief Scientific Officer, said: "Investigating the interactions of drugs with key transporters is essential in our recognition of how drugs are absorbed, distributed and eliminated by the body. By developing cost effective in vitro screens to identify and quantify these interactions, it enables potential issues to be detected at an early stage of the drug discovery process, so reducing the risk of late stage failure".

The Cloe® Screen range of in vitro assays are recognised across the drug discovery industry as providing high quality, highly reproducible data with an impressive turnaround times to fit with early make-test cycles in drug discovery. The services offered by Cyprotex are invaluable in enabling partner companies to make informed decisions when selecting potential drug candidates.

For further information regarding Cloe® Screen and other Cyprotex services, visit www.cyprotex.com.

For further information:

Cyprotex PLC
Francesca Sadler, Marketing Manager
Tel: +44 1625 505 100
f.sadler@cyprotex.com
www.cyprotex.com