Technology
Our Platform
We have pioneered the world’s first human extracellular matrix-based discovery platform to drive the identification and validation of targets and biomarkers as well as drug profiling. The flexible platform which is based on extensive research and corroboration, integrates our bespoke human tissue biobank and Engitomix proprietary bioinformatics platform. It is applicable to multiple organs, disease indications and therapeutic modalities.
Using our platform technology, we have the unique ability to study tissue- and disease-specific human ECM scaffolds, and to model diseases to study mechanisms of action.
To further accelerate the clinical translation of our targets and our drug discovery process we are leveraging the capabilities of Exscalate, a world leading ultra-high performance virtual screening platform that deploys the power of supercomputing, big data and AI to perform in silico drug testing and design.
In addition, our platform provides an in vitro 3D ECM pre-clinical and clinical de-risking screening tool to allow rapid prioritisation of disease-relevant targets and compounds.
TISSUE BIOBANK
Healthy & diseased human tissue
HUMAN ECM PLATFORM
Proprietary and patented protocols to understand human ECM composition and biology
ENGITOMIX BIOINFORMATICS
Proprietary bioinformatics software for analysis
HUMAN ECM PLATFORM
Proprietary in vitro 3D tissue specific and disease specific screening
EXSCALATE PLATFORM
AI-driven in silico structure-based drug design and compound screening
Our powerful ECM platform and Exscalate platform for drug discovery in more detail
Proprietary and partnered human tissue biobank
We have reliable access to human tissues* with associated clinical information including our own biobank, as well as strong network links to hospitals, biobanks and KOLs worldwide.
Using proven and patented protocols, we can obtain, preserve and utilise human extracellular matrix (ECM) from healthy and diseased tissues to generate cellular models with bioactive scaffolds.
(*All tissues would otherwise be discarded or organs rejected for transplant.)
Proprietary and partnered human tissue biobank
We have reliable access to human tissues* with associated clinical information including our own biobank, as well as strong network links to hospitals, biobanks and KOLs worldwide.
Using proven and patented protocols, we can obtain, preserve and utilise human extracellular matrix (ECM) from healthy and diseased tissues to generate cellular models with bioactive scaffolds.
(*All tissues would otherwise be discarded or organs rejected for transplant.)
Proprietary human ECM platform
We use our ECM platform to perform wet lab experiments in order to understand both the composition of the healthy and diseased acellular environment as well as the biology of the microenvironment in driving disease progression.
The disease-specific acellular composition of the ECM is carried out by proteomic analysis of decellularized tissues (‘matrisome’) while we are able to deconvolute the role of ECM in modulating cellular phenotype by reseeding into those ECMs different cell types relevant for the disease of interest and then through RNAseq, scRNAseq and other readouts we extrapolate ECM-driven targets.
Proprietary human ECM platform
We use our ECM platform to perform wet lab experiments in order to understand both the composition of the healthy and diseased acellular environment as well as the biology of the microenvironment in driving disease progression.
The disease-specific acellular composition of the ECM is carried out by proteomic analysis of decellularized tissues (‘matrisome’) while we are able to deconvolute the role of ECM in modulating cellular phenotype by reseeding into those ECMs different cell types relevant for the disease of interest and then through RNAseq, scRNAseq and other readouts we extrapolate ECM-driven targets.
Proprietary Engitomix Bioinformatics platform for data processing and target identification
Wet lab experiments generate tissue specific and disease “OMICS” data, while our Engitomix platform searches ~10x public databases with billions of data points. These combined datasets are then analysed using our proprietary Engitomix platform and algorithms.
Unbiased automatic target prioritisation is enabled by AI, machine learning and text mining to generate an automatic target report with target scoring.
This rapid target prioritisation enables 10-50 candidates to be selected from a 1,000 putative targets in 1-4 weeks
Proprietary Engitomix Bioinformatics platform for data processing and target identification
Wet lab experiments generate tissue specific and disease “OMICS” data, while our Engitomix platform searches ~10x public databases with billions of data points. These combined datasets are then analysed using our proprietary Engitomix platform and algorithms.
Unbiased automatic target prioritisation is enabled by AI, machine learning and text mining to generate an automatic target report with target scoring.
This rapid target prioritisation enables 10-50 candidates to be selected from a 1,000 putative targets in 1-4 weeks
Proprietary in vitro 3D-ECM tissue-specific and disease-specific phenotypic screening
For drug discovery, we incorporate human ECM into our in vitro models, thereby recreating the natural cell microenvironment so that drug candidates can be tested in the context they will ultimately be used in. With the potential to predict the efficacy of candidates more accurately at an earlier stage, the platform can reduce late-stage clinical failures and accelerate discovery.
Proprietary in vitro 3D-ECM tissue-specific and disease-specific phenotypic screening
For drug discovery, we incorporate human ECM into our in vitro models, thereby recreating the natural cell microenvironment so that drug candidates can be tested in the context they will ultimately be used in. With the potential to predict the efficacy of candidates more accurately at an earlier stage, the platform can reduce late-stage clinical failures and accelerate discovery.
Exscalate platform to accelerate structure-based drug discovery and development
Exscalate is a powerful supercomputing platform, developed by our partner Dompé, that operates at a speed of 32 PetaFLOPS to support advanced in silico methods. It facilitates the binding of one billion molecules on a target protein in one hour thereby reducing the processing time from target identification to candidate selection.
Employing Exscalate enables us to access the world’s largest digital ligand library and a virtual compound library composed of over 500 billion molecules. We can then identify chemical structures with the best complementary pattern of interactions with our biological targets, along with other phys-chem characteristics as well as novelty and synthesis feasibility.
Exscalate platform to accelerate structure-based drug discovery and development
Exscalate is a powerful supercomputing platform, developed by our partner Dompé, that operates at a speed of 32 PetaFLOPS to support advanced in silico methods. It facilitates the binding of one billion molecules on a target protein in one hour thereby reducing the processing time from target identification to candidate selection.
Employing Exscalate enables us to access the world’s largest digital ligand library and a virtual compound library composed of over 500 billion molecules. We can then identify chemical structures with the best complementary pattern of interactions with our biological targets, along with other phys-chem characteristics as well as novelty and synthesis feasibility.
