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news.Cyprotex has cross validated the CellCiphr cytotoxicity panels and officially relaunched as a Cyprotex service, following the acquisition of the CellCiphr technology from Cellumen in August 2010 and its transfer from Cellumen’s laboratory to Cyprotex’s laboratories.
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The CellCiphr cytotoxicity panels detect toxicological markers in a range of cell models (HepG2, primary hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes).
The CellCiphr technology applies High Content Screening (HCS) technology to cellular models of disease and toxicity. The technology uses a proprietary advanced informatics and data interpretation platform to assess cytotoxicity to improve prediction of in vivo toxicity.
Cyprotex achieved the cross validation by assessing marketed drugs with known toxicities, and through the participation of a major pharmaceutical company that was an existing client of both Cyprotex and of Cellumen.
Cyprotex said that confirming the success of the cross validation, the client has resumed using CellCiphr to identify potential toxicities in its pipeline of drug candidates.
In addition, three other clients including two major pharmaceutical companies and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have also resumed using CellCiphr for Phase II participation in the ToxCast programme.
In addition, a fifth, new client has completed its first CellCiphr study.
Cyprotex chief scientific officer Katya Tsaioun said the CellCiphr technology has been validated by major pharmaceutical companies and selected for use in the EPA’s ToxCast, programme as one of the core technologies in the National Toxicology Program.
"Our re-validation of this technology is a major milestone in Cyprotex’s entry into the in vitro toxicology market that began in August with the acquisition of Apredica in the US, followed by the opening of our new UK toxicology laboratory," Tsaioun said.
Cyprotex CEO Tony Baxter said approximately 25% of all spending on drug development is spent on the clinical trials of drugs that fail in those trials due to toxicity.
"This cost is now the largest source of economic inefficiency in drug development. Looking back, in 1995, 40% of clinical trial failures were due to ADME. But since the adoption of preclinical in vitro ADME, that figure is now below 10%," Baxter said.
"Cyprotex is at the forefront of applying in vitro technologies to the drug safety problem. Just as Cyprotex’s in silico and in vitro ADME services were at the forefront of reducing inefficiencies due to ADME, the company is now at the forefront of applying the same technologies to the growing problem of toxicity."