Biochemical Assay Development, Biochemical Analysis

What is Biochemical Assay Development and What is Biochemical Analysis During Drug Discovery, Preclinical, and Clinical Phases?

Biochemical Assay Development and Analysis: From Drug Discovery and Preclinical to Clinical Phases

Biochemical assays are used in drug discovery as targeted assays using well-established reaction components. Assay development for a specific biomolecule involves identification of the target of interest, target validation to determine the therapeutic effect, and identification of biochemical pathways activated during drug treatment. Well-known components and purified compounds are incubated together to assess activators or inhibitors of these specific pathways. Additionally, direct and coupled enzymatic assays, kinetic assays, or binding assays (direct) can be leveraged to identify temporal and kinetic effects of specific treatments on biochemical pathways during all phases of the drug development pathway.

Biochemical assays can be used to assess cell membrane permeability and the capability of modulating the drug’s target, when inside the cells. Similarly, cell-based assays can be used to determine target binding through biophysical or biochemical assay development. As an industry-recommended practice, NorthEast BioLab scientists use both cell-based assays and biochemical assays together to quantify a pathway or target. A compound that reveals high potency when assessed through biochemical analysis may not show similar results in cell-based assays. However, a compound with high potency in a cell-based assay can show high potency in a biochemical assay as a result of medicinal optimization, which can enhance the physicochemical properties of the compound. Performing both sets of assays is critical for the successful optimization of a compound during drug development.

You must be thinking, “What is Biochemical Analysis?”

Below, we have explained two types of biochemical analysis services offered by NorthEast BioLab:

Enzymatic Assay

The enzymes or proteins present in the human body exhibit catalytic activity, the ability to perform tasks resulting in reactions. Hence, it is necessary for enzymes synthesized industrially to exhibit the correct functions. NorthEast BioLab scientists measure the activity of the enzyme through various assays, product syntheses, analyses of substrate consumption, or by spectrophotometric assays to ensure proper activity after synthesis or purification.

Western Blot Analysis

While enzymatic assays are useful for proteins with catalytic activity, Western blotting is the gold standard for identifying all types of proteins. This biochemical analysis uses antibodies to identify and bind the protein. The detection is achieved by analyzing the signal generated by an enzyme bound to the target antibody. The signal intensity recorded during this detection is proportional to the amount of bound protein. Thus, this technology allows scientists to quantify protein levels in varying conditions.