Increase the speed and success of your drug discovery process
– partner with Vipergen
DELs in Cells EXPRESS
– Vipergen’s novel approach
The DELs in Cells EXPRESS service sets a new standard for speedy drug discovery.
With the DELs in Cells EXPRESS service, you simply provide the amino acid sequence of the target protein, and Vipergen handles the rest and ships hit compounds to you in just 30 business days.
- The drug target protein is expressed as an intrinsic part of the process – eliminating the necessity for purified target protein
- The DNA encoded libraries (DELs) are optimized for fast off-DNA hit resynthesis
- The process is designed to yield a high success rate without compromising speed.
This makes the DELs in Cells EXPRESS service an excellent choice for projects seeking rapid progression, even if purified target protein is not readily accessible.
DELs in Cells EXPRESS – DEL screening in living cells.
Just 30 business days from the project start to the delivery of resynthesized hits.
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Improve the starting point for lead optimization with our cutting-edge technologies.
Experience our unique approach to screening that excels, even for challenging targets. Ready to transform your research? Contact us today and explore partnership opportunities.
Speed by design
DELs in Cells EXPRESS enables fast and seamless hit identification in three accelerated steps:
- Feasibility study (Day 1-10)
- DEL screening (Day 11-20)
- Hit resynthesis (Day 21-30)
After each of the first two phases, we meet with your team (Days 10 and 20), to agree on next steps for project progression. The third phase concludes with shipment of resynthesized hits to your preferred location.
Feasibility meeting (Day 10)
- Target expression report
- Decision for entering screening (Go-No-Go)
- Decision for exact screening design
Screening meeting (Day 20)
- Screening report including hit list and detailed structural information
- Decision for resynthesis of hits
Shipment of hits (Day 30)
- Hits resynthesized off-DNA
- Shipment to your preferred location
Plan for meetings on Day 10 and 20 to ensure a 30-day delivery timeline
Feasibility study (Day 1-10)
The project kicks off once Vipergen receives the amino acid sequence of your target protein. Our scientists will then design and synthesize cDNA constructs, transcribe the constructs to mRNA, and conduct a feasibility study. This involves injecting the mRNA in cells and analyzing the expression of the target protein.
The expression data is presented at a meeting, where a project Go-No-Go decision as well as determination of the exact screening design are made prior to advancing into the screening phase.
Our scientists have an excellent track record in expressing target proteins in Xenopus oocytes, meaning that more than 95% of all projects succeed at this stage.
DEL screening (Day 11-20)
Utilizing the validated constructs, the DEL screening is conducted inside a living cell, optimizing both speed and success rate.
With our proprietary screening process, we can compress what traditionally takes months into just 10 business days.
Hits are identified by DNA sequencing and decoding, and are grouped in clusters based on structural similarity. Our data analysis eliminates frequent hitters and unspecific binders from the hit list, ensuring that the hits identified are not only fast-tracked, but also of high quality.
At our second meeting, the screening and analysis results are presented as the basis for selecting hits for off-DNA resynthesis.
Hit resynthesis (Day 21-30)
The final phase is dedicated to the off-DNA resynthesis of selected hits.
The resynthesized compounds are shipped to you for validation and testing within 10 business days.
Fast delivery of the resynthesized hit compounds is enabled by careful selection of the building blocks used for the library synthesis and by maintaining stocks of relevant building blocks. This approach ensures that 80% or more of the hits can be resynthesized in a 10-day timeframe.
How is fast drug discovery enabled?
Our team of molecular biologists and chemists are experts in screening technologies and have a strong track record of delivering fast and reliable results.
We have optimized DEL screening in living cells to enable fast delivery of high-quality results:
The drug target protein is expressed as an intrinsic part of the process
With DELs in Cells EXPRESS, you only need to provide the amino acid sequence of the target protein. The drug target protein expression is performed as an intrinsic part of the process, eliminating the need for purified target protein.
The DNA encoded library is optimized for fast off-DNA hit resynthesis
Careful selection of the chemical building blocks present in the DEL facilitates fast resynthesis of compounds off-DNA whilst still maintaining good physiochemical properties and diversity in the library.
Thus, at least 80% of hits can be resynthesized in just 10 business days.
Streamlined process
Every stage within the DELS in Cells EXPRESS project framework has been optimized for efficient project execution. This encompasses the logistics and management of chemical building block stock to prevent bottlenecks in the off-DNA hit resynthesis process.
Screening DNA encoded libraries in a living cell – cBTE
The cellular Binder Trap Enrichment technology (cBTE) serves as the engine that enables rapid hit discovery. The target protein of interest (POI) is expressed, fused to Prey (a small protein). Then, the DEL is injected into the cell together with Bait-DNA (a small molecule attached to DNA).
The DEL molecules bind the target, while the Bait-DNA molecules bind the Prey, enabling the encoding of the binding event by ligating the library DNA to the Bait-DNA in droplets within an emulsion. Subsequently, the ligated DNA is purified, amplified, and subjected to Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), allowing for the identification of compounds that bind the target protein.
Cellular Binder Trap Enrichment, cBTE, the in vivo screening technology used for DELs in cells EXPRESS.
DEL series optimized for fast off-DNA hit resynthesis
The fast turnaround time of DELs in Cells EXPRESS is enabled by utilizing DELs optimized for rapid off-DNA hit resynthesis, and by establishing the necessary infrastructure, ensuring most chemical building blocks are readily available on stock.
The Lib080-series is designed for swift off-DNA hit resynthesis while maintaining high chemical diversity and keeping physiochemical properties in check. Thus, at least 80% of hits can be resynthesized within 10 business days. The Lib080-series is synthesized using the high fidelity YoctoReactor technology resulting in low false positive rates.
The integration of the Lib080-series into the DELs in Cells EXPRESS screening service facilitates the delivery of state-of-the-art results to our partners at an unrivalled speed.
The radar plot depicts parameters prioritized in the library design, exemplified by Lib046, Lib056, and Lib081.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is purified protein necessary to initiate DEL screening in cells?
No, unlike other screening technologies, only the amino acid sequence of the target protein is needed to execute the screening project, enabling a rapid progression from project initiation to hits that provides our partners with a competitive edge.
Which target classes can be screened in cells?
The screening of most cytoplasmic proteins, including membrane proteins accessible from the cytoplasm, can be conducted in cells. Various protein classes, encompassing enzymes, protein-protein interaction targets, molecular glue targets, and many more have been screened in this format.
How do DELs in Cells EXPRESS projects differ from other DEL screening projects?
Our partners gain a competitive edge by getting results in half the time with the DELs in Cells EXPRESS approach.
DELs in Cells EXPRESS projects operate within a streamlined project framework, prioritized in our pipeline to ensure the industry’s fastest turnaround time, providing you with a competitive edge.
How does is diversity and novelty ensured in the DNA encoded libraries?
Diversity and novelty are assured by the diversity of the building blocks incorporated into the design of our libraries. A substantial portion of the building blocks, used in library synthesis, is designed in-house. This approach ensures the novelty of the resulting compounds in the library.
How is the expression of the target protein in the cell validated?
The target protein expression is ensured by Western blotting, a rapid technology enabling semi-quantitative and qualitative assessment of the expressed protein’s integrity.