Drug Screening

FFA Sciences LLC is developing fluorescent probes that are ideal for drug screening. The probes are particularly well-suited for drugs that affect cellular processes as well as those involving purified enzymes.

The assays are readily adapted to multi-well fluorescence plate readers and the response (ratio fluorescence) of the probes to metabolites produces an especially robust assay. Moreover, reaction kinetics are easily measured because the probes provide a continuous readout of the metabolite level.

We have validated high throughput assays with FFAu probes. This includes robotic dispensing of reagents, fluorescence screening and the determination of FFAu levels in 96 and 384 well plates. This system can be used directly to screen for drugs that alter cellular metabolism involving FFA or that alter the behavior of enzymes that either produce or use FFA.