BIOALVO - High-Throughput Drug Discovery Platform

BIOALVO has designed, developed and tested an innovative yeast-based high-throughput drug discovery platform to identify compounds that act on specific human disease targets. These systems, in contrast to the classical target-based drug development approach, have the potential to generate true and potent drug candidates selected from a physiological screen that closely relates to the human disease pathology state. This platform has shown to be particularly useful for pioneering areas such as the CNS diseases and resulted in a swift identification of high quality drug leads.

CNS DRUG DISCOVERY

Our molecular field expertise merges with an entirely new drug discovery strategy and technological approach. Our approach is focused in applications for CNS drug discovery but has the potential to be used in other therapeutic areas. Such an assembly allows us to offer the best drug candidates at earlier preclinical phases of drug development, thus creating added value to our partners.

YEAST-BASED HTS

High-Throughput Screening (HTS) systems for drug discovery permit compound libraries to be efficiently screened for effectiveness against a human disease target. Using a yeast-based HTS platform assures that only a reduced number of candidates with very high potential go forward to the remainder research and development process.

BIOALVO developed a technology platform suited for high-throughput drug identification. This platform is based on yeast cells expressing a known human target and a specific DNA-sensor for each desired target allowing different high–throughput screening applications. The screens exploit intrinsic properties of the human target protein and link these to a straightforward read-out available from the yeast culture.

Our company has already developed three proprietary and specific applications of this yeast HTS platform that are currently running in our robotic labs: Blockade, Disaggregator I and Disaggregator II.

BLOCKADE SCREENING SYSTEM FOR HTS

Blockade is an application for HTS of new drugs that inhibit the IDO enzyme or other kynurenine/NADH enzymes. This screening application is aiming at the identification of compounds for the treatment of neurological and autoimmune disorders, infectious and age-related diseases or cancer.

DISAGGREGATOR I AND II FOR SCREENING EFFECTIVE COMPOUNDS

Disaggregator I and II are two different applications of this yeast platform suitable for screening effective compounds against misfolding or aggregation-prone human targets.

Disaggregator I is focused on the identification of drugs suitable for treating misfolding disorders (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, cystic fibrosis, ataxias and other age-related conditions).

Disaggregator II, aims the identification of compounds able to treat aggregation disorders (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's or type II diabetes).

The combination of both platforms generates a potent assay system that allows selection of effective molecules acting in specific steps of this pathological process, common to many neurodegenerative diseases.

BIOALVO TECHNOLOGY AND PORTFOLIO ADVANTAGES

BIOALVO is confident that its yeast-based HTS platform and its applications will be revolutionizing the drug discovery arena.

Our screens are better predictors of efficacy when compared to conventional drug screening platforms. They mimic very closely disease-relevant pathobiology (immunological response/toxicity/aggregation), focusing on crucial disease steps and are able to screen and test for toxicity. Non-druggable targets are not excluded, avoiding bias.

In BIOALVO'S platform targets are in a physiological relevant and complex environment (unknown controls, compensatory mechanisms, etc) eliminating the risks of selecting compounds that might not work in a cellular/organ context. Some of our applications can be useful in revealing possible mechanisms of action for our compounds.

Our platform eliminates time and expense of target identification/validation prior to screening as it validates drug candidates instead of targets.

BIOALVO detains several hits and lead candidates in development for several indications in CNS.