Biochemical Pharmacology Services

Animal derived tissue / cell cultures and recombinant cell lines are used effectively for screening and the initial identification of compounds with desired pharmacological effects. However, the use of native human tissues and cells provides more relevant data for understand the behavior of compounds at native human receptors and therefore provides essential data supporting the selection of those compounds with the best opportunity for success in the clinic.

Asterand has extensive scientific expertise in the isolation and propagation of human primary cells for our compound evaluation services. We can isolate primary cells from a range of different human tissue types, including both diseased and non-diseased donors. We maintain our primary cells for limited periods to ensure that the cells maintain their differentiated state, thus avoiding changes in functional response that can occur with extended culture.

Click here for examples of available primary cell cultures for PhaseZERO^®.

Asterand has developed a variety of biochemical assays for profiling client compounds using intact human tissues, freshly isolated human cells and subcellular fractions:

• Mediator release



• Metabolic assays



• Radioligand binding and receptor autoradiography



• Gene induction

Isolation and culture of human primary cell types can be developed upon request and custom assays can also be developed and validated to meet client's specific requirements.

In addition to functional compound profiling, all primary cells can also be used for extraction of cellular derivatives and for profiling gene and protein expression using Asterand's CustomMapping^TM and Protein Localization services.

For further information, contact us at advantage@asterand.com