Amsbio has introduced a high throughput PARP in vivo pharmacodynamic assay that can be used to monitor the efficacy of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors on PAR formation in vivo; and to measure drug action on PARP in both in vivo and in vitro settings
In recent news, AstraZeneca reported upon how its ovarian cancer drug Lynparza (olaparib) is the first PARP inhibitor to be granted approval by the European Commission and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)**. This has led to a surge of interest in this class of drugs, which can exploit tumour DNA repair pathway deficiencies to preferentially kill cancer cells.
Dr William Hadlington-Booth of Amsbio commented: "Our high throughput PARP in vivo pharmacodynamic assay is helping facilitate the development of PARP and PARG targeted therapeutics by many pharmaceutical companies and clinical researchers worldwide. Research work has already shown its utility in measuring PAR levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, tissue culture cells, and tumour lysates from different tissues, organs and xenografts: it can be used to monitor the efficacy of PARP inhibitors on PAR formation in vivo, as well as to verify observations of enhanced cancer cell cytotoxicity arising from PARP inhibitor/anticancer drug combination therapy."
Validated to USP recommended guidelines and fully compatible with laboratory automation systems, its makers say that this high throughput kit is the only PAR ELISA assay currently available.
Pharmacodynamic assays measure biomarkers that can quantify the molecular and functional effects produced by a drug on its intended target. Since pharmacodynamic biomarkers play important roles in deciphering disease processes and mechanisms of drug action, validated pharmacodynamic assays that accurately measure the effects of a drug on its target are becoming an essential component to clinical trials and the drug development paradigm.
