Role of Meso Scale Discovery Electrochemiluminescence in Drug Development

Meso Scale Discovery Electroluminescence assay development materials and kits find a wide array of applications in both the pre-clinical and clinical stages of the drug discovery and development process. These assays detect a preferential upper hand in comparison with ELISA as they are potent enough for minimizing matrix effects and drug interference. MSD assays work on improving both the workflow and the assay performances.

Features of the Electrochemiluminescence Technology –

The features of using electrochemiluminescence technology are highlighted as follows –

● It generates a minimal amount of background signals and reduces the value of the high signal to background ratios. This results in the decoupling of the stimulation mechanism from the signal being used.
● The proximity of the electrochemiluminescence technology is the detection of only the labels which get bound close to the electrode surface, which facilitates the development of non-washed assays.

How does the Meso Scale Discovery technology help throughout the process of drug discovery and development?

The MSD assay technology facilitates the drug discovery and development process with the following objectives –

Drug Tolerance –

Assays developed using improves sensitivity assays such as MSD assays demonstrate high levels of drug tolerance and hence, are preferred over the traditional ELISA techniques. These assays, therefore, find their applications in generating a greater signal to background ratios and detecting lower levels of complexes arising out of drug-antidrug antibody reactivities.

Pharmacokinetics –

Pharmacokinetics aids in studying the metabolic action of the pharmaceutical drug candidate where the emphasis is laid on its ADME characterization, i.e. Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion. As these assays are backed with greater sensitivities and more extensive dynamic ranges, the MSD assays require a lesser variety of diluted samples per analysis.

Pharmacodynamics –

Pharmacodynamics studies the mechanism of pharmaceutical drug action. It evaluates them based on both their biochemical and physiological processes. Such effects can be generated through evaluating the drug-drug interactions with different cellular proteins, which are inclusive of intracellular, secreted, and cell-surface proteins. These assays consist of an extensive menu for the detection of intracellular proteins, receptors, and secreted proteins like cytokines.

Assessment of Drug Toxicity –

In toxicokinetic studies, a drug compound or the disease-induced alterations are usually evaluated by applying a combination of potential biomarkers and histochemical endpoints. Each of these components is potent enough to be employed as indicators of toxic changes likely to occur within the tissues or any other body organ. Toxicologists use those MSD assays which are consistent in their performance, displays a more extensive dynamic range, and features a higher sensitivity level.

Studying the Mechanism of Compound Inhibition –

Potent and highly selective molecules find a more comprehensive range of applications as targeted therapies for the evolution of cardiovascular disorders, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases. MSD assays serve as essential and valuable tools that facilitate the process of deciphering the functioning of various cell signaling pathways. They can even be employed in the process of rapid evaluation of the potency of the compound inhibitor against the presence of cell signaling targets.

Last but not least, the Meso Scale Discovery Electrochemiluminescence technology also facilitates the process of assay development for the production of neutralizing antibodies.