Aptagen's rapid fast-track approach to drug
discovery bypasses the 'test tube' in
pre-clinical development, taking it one step closer
to human clinical trials.
In
Vitro
Assays -----> In Vivo Studies ------>
Clinical Trials
The Problem: Drug
candidates that prove positive in "test tube"
(or in vitro)
assays may face substantial problems
when tested in animals, a necessary prerequisite
before human clinical trials. These problems
include absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion,
and toxicity.
The Solution:
Aptagen's technique,
involving molecules called aptabodiesTM(patent
pending), overcomes
the
limitation of the traditional pharmaceutical
drug discovery process. The unique
chemistry of aptabodies™, unlike other forms of
drugs currently used, permits the selection of
drug candidates in whole animal models,
bypassing the "test tubes" entirely, and
taking drug development one step closer to human
clinical trials. By using an
animal model with the disease state of interest,
specific knowledge of the pathology or disease
condition is not needed. An added benefit
is the significant reduction in the number of animals needed
for drug evaluation before entering into human clinical
trials.
What is an
aptabodyTM
?
A supramolecular molecule with antibody-like
specificity and drug-like chemical properties.
Conventional antibodies
have a chemical alphabet of the naturally
occurring amino acids
AptabodiesTM
have a chemical alphabet of the naturally
occurring amino acids, fatty acids,
sugars, as well as synthetic compounds,
cofactors, metal ions, etc...
