Pharmidex

The Challenge

The blood brain barrier (BBB) prevents most large and small molecules from crossing into the CNS. Once across the BBB, efficacy is dependent on freely available drug, regional distribution and efflux processes which remove drugs from the brain.

Understanding the ability of compounds to cross the BBB earlier in the discovery process leads to shorter research time, less cost and a quicker path to the market. The link between drug concentration and efficacy or side-effects in preclinical and clinical models is better understood using the expertise and technologies offered by Pharmidex.

The Solution

Pharmidex is a unique solution provider in CNS drug discovery and development, and world leader in the assessment of brain penetrability and distribution of CNS therapeutics.

With its specialist expertise in NeuroPK® (distribution) and NeuroPD® (effect) data, Pharmidex provides key information and knowledge on the critical path for the discovery and development of CNS drugs.

NeuroPK®

• Measurement of total drug in whole brain or regions of the brain
• Measurement of unbound/bound drug in blood
• Measurement of unbound drug in intact brain regions

NeuroPD

• Measurement of neurochemical markers in regions of the brain (CSF/ISF)
• Microdialysis
• Microdialysis in freely behaving pre-clinical species to measure unbound drug and neurochemical markers

Microdialysis

• Microdialysis in freely behaving preclinical species to measure unbound drug and neurochemical markers

NeuroTox

• Measurement of CNS side-effect profiles

Brain penetration

• Measurement of brain uptake index
• Measurement of passive permeability and active influx/efflux

In vitro BBB

• Equilibrium dialysis to determine unbound drug blood brain partitioning
• Measurement of passive permeability and active influx/efflux