Beactica scientists describe methodological advances for the discovery of drugs targeting ion channels

Beactica, the leading Swedish fragment-based drug discovery company, today announced the publication of a key paper in the scientific journal Biochemical Pharmacology*. The paper presents methodological advances in SPR biosensor-based drug discovery targeting ligand-gated ion channels, a significant challenge to the pharmaceutical industry.
The publication outlines work on the GABAA family of receptors, known to be involved in a wide range of neurological functions, such as anxiety, depression, chronic pain, schizophrenia, epilepsy and recovery from stroke. The Beactica scientists applied an SPR biosensor-based approach to identify ligands binding to the receptor, a considerable challenge considering that the receptors are membrane bound. The results are of relevance not only for elucidating the function and pharmacology of GABAA receptors, but also for discovery of drugs against GABAA receptors and other ligand-gated ion channel receptors.

The research was performed in collaboration with scientists at the Centre for Brain Research at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, and Uppsala University, Sweden. It is part of NeuroCypres, a project funded through EU’s 7th Framework Programme. For more information, please visit www.neurocypres.eu.

For additional information please contact Dr Per Källblad, Beactica CEO, +46 18560880.

* Publication reference
Seeger et al., Histaminergic pharmacology of homo-oligomeric β3 γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors characterized by surface plasmon resonance, Biochemical Pharmacology, 2012, 84:341–51 (DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2012.04.008).

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