EXPRESSION PATTERN SCREENING FOR DRUG DISCOVERY

建立了一种高通量的多重mRNA分析方法，用于筛选大量化合物以发现影响基因表达模式的潜在药物。一组与疾病相关的基因和控制基因的表达可以在96孔板的每一孔内同时进行检测。研究人员可以评估96种不同的候选药物如何影响这些基因在每个平板中的表达模式。这项技术将解决制药业尚未满足的需求--有效利用新的基因组学信息这将允许测试更多的基因靶标，包括新识别的基因，并将提供更多关于选择性和特异性的信息。专利方法将通过提高灵敏度和可靠性，使DNA阵列技术用于高通量多重mRNA分析。初步结果证明了该方法的可行性。DNA阵列可以在每个孔内应用，并保持杂交特异性。该方法对于在96孔板的一个孔内生长的细胞中每个细胞表达一个mRNA分子的基因足够灵敏。我们建议进一步改进这些方法，以形成可靠和灵敏的筛选技术，用于发现调节基因表达模式的新药。建议的商业应用：在制药行业，需要一种高通量的多重mRNA分析来筛选大量化合物，以发现影响基因表达模式的潜在药物。预计这项测试将把新药发现周期缩短1-2年。

Development of a high throughput multiple mRNA assay is proposed for screening large numbers of compounds to discover potential drugs that affect patterns of gene expression The expression for a group of disease- related and control genes can be tested all at once within each well of a 96- well plate. Investigators can evaluate how 96 different drug candidates affect the expression pattern for these genes m each plate. This technology will address an unmet need of the pharmaceutical industry - to make efficient use of novel genomics information This will allow testing of more gene targets including newly identified genes, and will provide more information about selectivity and specificity. Proprietary methods will allow DNA array technology to be used for the high throughput multiple mRNA assay, by increasing sensitivity and reliability. Preliminary results demonstrate feasibility. DNA arrays can be applied within each well and retain hybridization specificity. The method is sensitive enough for genes expressed at one mRNA molecule per cell from the cells grown within one well of a 96-well plate. We propose to improve the methods further to form a reliable and sensitive screening technology for discovering new drugs that modulate gene expression patterns. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The need for a high throughput multiple mRNA assay for screening large numbers of compounds to discover potential drugs that affect patterns of gene expression is an absolute necessity in the pharmaceutical industry. The assay is expected to cut 1-2 years off the new drug discovery cycle.