Metrion Biosciences

Metrion has developed validated screening assays against an extensive panel of ion channel cell lines using a number of high quality screening platforms with a range of throughput capabilities. Metrion have worked on a very wide range of targets, including voltage-gated (e.g. Nav, Cav and Kv), inward rectifiers (e.g. Kir3.1/3.4) and a variety of ligand-gated ion channels (e.g. TRP and ASIC). In addition, Metrion can offer cell line optimisation and bespoke assay development services to our clients for their ion channel targets. This includes both viral (e.g. BacMam) and non-viral transfection techniques.

For more than a decade, Metrion’s scientists have been involved in developing, optimising and validating automated and manual patch clamp assays for ion channel targets. We can fully customise ion channel assays at different stages of the screening cascade, from hit finding and medium throughput structure activity studies, through to specialised biophysical and mechanism-of-action studies for hit series or lead compounds.

Metrion offers cardiac safety screening services against the full panel of Comprehensive in VitroProarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) compliant human cardiac ion channels (hERG, Nav1.5, Cav1.2, KvLQT1, Kv4.3 and Kir2.1) as well as other important cardiac ion channels (e.g. Kv1.5 and HCN4). These studies are performed on automated platforms with true gigaseal quality. Clients may elect to evaluate hERG alone, our core cardiac panel (hERG, Nav1.5, Cav1.2), the full CiPA panel or a custom selection of channels.
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Metrion are developing a number of phenotypic assays to aid the translation of in vitro cardiac safety and neuroscience data to the preclinical stage. We are working towards a full CiPA predictive cardiac safety package by developing patch clamp and label-free phenotypic assays using human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. In addition, we are developing phenotypic neuroscience assays with native and iPSC-derived neurons on the manual patch clamp and multielectrode array (MEA) platforms.

Metrion are highly experienced at developing screening assays for potassium channel targets. This includes voltage-gated (hERG, Kv1.3, Kv1.5, Kv7 etc) and inward rectifier potassium channels.

Metrion provides a fully integrated Cardiac Safety Screening / CiPA Screening service incorporating all three components of the Comprehensive In vitro Proarrhythmia (CiPA) initiative. Our services include:

• Automated electrophysiology screening against an expanded panel of six cardiac ion channels, including hERG.
  
• In silico modelling using electrophysiology data from the expanded ion channel panel.
  
• Confirmation of in silico predictions using translational assays employing human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes.
  

Metrion is a member of the HESI Cardiac Safety committee and, as part of its role in the HTS sub team, is involved in validating automated screening assays. The company also has access to multiple commercially available iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte cell lines, which have been fully validated in-house.

Metrion are highly experienced at developing and performing screening assays against voltage-gated ion channels, such as Nav, Cav and Kv channels.

Our highly experienced team is able to provide clients with a fully integrated drug discovery service including biology, medicinal chemistry and early ADMET. This integrated service spans initial assay development, validation and high throughput screening in 384-well plate-based assays, automated electrophysiology-based support for medicinal chemistry optimisation of compounds, conventional electrophysiology profiling of lead compounds, translational assays and safety profiling. Along with our partners Assay.Works and Concept Life Sciences Metrion has the experience to steer your research programme to a successful, and cost effective, conclusion.

Metrion can perform comprehensive studies to evaluate the cardiotoxicity liability of compounds in short (<24hrs) and chronic (up to 72 hrs) assays using MEA and Impedance assays.

Metrion are highly experienced at recording action potentials from iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CM). Metrion have characterised a range of different commercially available iPSC-CM lines and can advise our clients on which lines to use for their Action Potential Duration Assays.

Metrion perform compound profiling against ion channel targets. We are able to undertake screening services from small studies with a few compounds up to hundreds of thousands of compounds. We can prosecute screening studies against the primary target and selectivity panels.

Metrion are a UK-based CRO that specialises in investigating the function of ion channels using the patch clamp technique. Metrion has a plethora of automated patch clamp devices and manual patch clamp platforms are used for patch clamp studies.

Metrion is highly proficient at developing custom cell-based ion channel assays for clients.

We provide highly skilled electrophysiology screening services to support client medicinal chemistry optimisation programmes, CiPA compliant cardiac safety profiling assays, neuroscience assays and translational assays.