Micronucleus Assay Predicts Genotoxicity in Cells

An in vitro automated micronucleus assay enables accurate, early assessment of potential genotoxicity of novel drug candidates. The assay format allows faster data collection and analysis, and provides flexibility with respect to customized multiplexed endpoints.

The assay protocol, developed by MDS Pharma Services (King of Prussia, PA, USA) and GE Healthcare (Chalfont St. Giles, UK), provides data to help interpret micronuclei formation. Incorporating GE Healthcare's IN cell 100 and IN Cell 3,000 high contact analysis platforms, the assay is performed in 96-well microplates and requires relatively small amounts of compound. It has been validated with genotoxic compounds known to cause chromosomal damage (clastogen/aneugens) with or without in vitro metabolic activation, and can be formatted for automated moderate throughput screening or for custom analysis on smaller sample numbers.

"Our IN cell platform demonstrates the value of sub-cellular assay technology in progressing lead compounds through primary and secondary screening,” said Ger Brophy, general manager of Discovery Sciences at GE Healthcare. "The collaboration with MDS Pharma Services illustrates the value of these technologies for genotoxicity analysis. We have focused on developing more efficient automated micronuclei assays because our customers have expressed an interest in improving on current methods. The value of getting this type of data from cellular analysis systems will play out in improved efficiencies throughout the drug development process.”

The assay for genotoxicity and cytotoxicity can also be formatted to evaluate other toxicity end-points such as apoptosis and necrosis.



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MDS Pharma Services
GE Healthcare