We believe that no single technology is sufficient to fully assess the effect of a compound across complex biological processes. Therefore, we have assembled a specific collection of technologies to systematically and efficiently evaluate a wide range of biological activities impacted by a compound. In vivo, ex vivo, in vitro, and in silico assessments are conducted to develop hypotheses about which diseases a compound may be used to treat.

In vivo, real-time animal imaging

Gene Logic has developed a state-of-the-art imaging program that allows the pharmacological action of a drug to be visualized non-invasively throughout an entire mouse. Using a sophisticated combination of bioluminescence imaging technologies and multiple strains of transgenically-engineered mice, we can evaluate the effect of a compound on key signal transduction pathways. Spatial, temporal, and biological pathway information can all be recovered from intra- and inter-animal comparisons, reducing biological noise.

In vivo multiplex bioanalytics

Using advanced laboratory automation and proprietary targeted LC-MS techniques, Gene Logic's bioanalytics program allows the simultaneous quantitation of disease-relevant biomolecules from extremely small quantities of accessible animal fluids. The bioanalytes that comprise the comprehensive panel were selected from the metabolome on the basis of their significance in the most pharmaceutically relevant diseases. Coupling precise, comparative examinations of bioanalyte profiles with our other platform technologies can enable the discovery of novel drug activities and bring to light new applications for further investigation.

In vitro and ex vivo molecular and cellular pharmacology

Gene Logic's DRS Platform is powered by two parallel sets of in vitro cell-based profiling technologies that efficiently analyze the impact of drug candidates on major disease-relevant physiologically pathways. In aggregate, these technologies utilize approximately 250 distinct cell-based sentinel assays to permit deep exploration of drug-induced alterations to mammalian cellular physiology thereby enabling drug repositioning hypothesis generation.

• The Pathfinder technology enables the rapid evaluation and discovery of drug-induced effects on defined signal transduction pathways and the identification of new links between previously characterized pathways. The method employs a large collection of cell types and stimulatory conditions in combination with a broad set of promoter and enhancer genetic regulatory elements that modulate expression of luciferase reporter activity.
• The Phenodetect technology consists of a large panel of cell-based surrogate assays reflective of both normal and aberrant physiological processes. These assay modules monitor the impact of a drug on a diverse collection of cellular responses, including whole cell physiology, biochemical functionality, membrane integrity, intracellular trafficking, motility, diffentiation/maturation, and other relevant cellular events. This program employs a diverse collection of technological approaches including automated high content cellular imaging, electrical impedance, fluorescence and colorimetric detection, multiplex ELISAs and additional assay modalities.

In silico biology

Using Gene Logic's BioExpress® and ASCENTA® Systems, our DRS in silico group studies transcription profiles of drug targets in normal and disease contexts to look for correlative effects between regulation and plausible links to new therapeutic areas. The information can be used to expand the understanding of where a target is expressed in over 400 disease areas. It can also be utilized to discover what disease states modulate the expression of the target. Alternatively, if the target is not known or to assist in making links between regulation and disease, we use sophisticated pathway-based analysis software tools to integrate transcription profiling data with literature-based findings and other bioinformatics data.

Luciferase Technology licensed from Promega Corporation under U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,670,356, 6,552,179, 6,387,675 and related patents and patent applications.