PharmaDiagnostics awarded European patent for label-free SoPRano ADME assays

PharmaDiagnostics NV, a company developing and marketing a broadly-enabling, label-free screening technology that uniquely does not require specialized instrumentation, announces today that it has been awarded a European patent for its innovative SoPRano ADME assays (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drug compounds). The European patent entitled “Reagents and methods for the determination of PK/ADME-Tox characteristics of new chemical entities and of drug candidates”, was awarded by the European Patent Office and provides formal acknowledgement of, and protection for, SoPRano label-free SPR-based assays that can be used to assess the ADME properties of compounds earlier in the drug discovery process.

“This patent is a clear recognition and acknowledgement of the innovative nature and commercial applicability of our SoPRano technology platform that enables improvements to the efficiency of the drug discovery process,” said Dr David Ricketts, CEO at PharmaDiagnostics. “Assays covered by this patent are already being trialed by a number of major pharmaceutical companies. As a result, the patent provides us further business growth opportunities.”

The SoPRano technology is unique in enabling label-free screening without a dedicated expensive instrument. For the first time, label-free assays can be applied in higher throughput earlier in drug discovery process to enable more informed decision making.

ADME assays currently marketed as SoPRano products and services include HSA and AGP interaction affinities, fraction unbound in plasma and volume of distribution, pKa, blood brain barrier permeability, bioavailability, and redox potential.

About PharmaDiagnostics NV

PharmaDiagnostics NV develops label-free screening technology with the unique capability in its market of operating without the need for expensive specialized instrumentation.  PharmaDiagnostics’ novel technology platform, SoPRano(TM), is based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and uses specifically functionalized gold nanoparticles. The technology is broadly enabling and applicable to a range of applications including: receptor-ligand binding (with applications in lead identification and fragment screening); antibody screening and ADME. The assays are sensitive, reproducible and have the potential for very high throughput. The company supplies assay kits for use by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and also offers bespoke assay development and screening services.

The company, based in the Z1 Research Park in Zellik, near Brussels, was founded in 2007. It has raised more than EUR 4.0 million (USD 5.6M) in two rounds of venture funding and EUR 100,000 in grants from IWT (Instituut voor de aanmoediging van innovatie door Wetenschap & Technologie in Vlaanderen), a Flemish innovation agency.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Lloyd & Associates
Andrew Lloyd / Neil Hunter
Tel: +44 1273 675100
neil@ala.com / allo@ala.com