UNTHSC Ion Channel Screening and Drug Discovery

Background: The cost to develop a new drug is in the billions of dollars. In the drug development timeline, there are numerous hurdles that must be addressed. These range from generating novel ligands to target a receptor (e.g. ion channels) to toxicology studies. Furthermore, cardiotoxicity studies are needed before any compound can be studied clinically. Many companies and research laboratories start with compound libraries, containing hundreds to thousands of potential drugs. Screening these libraries for ion channel activity may necessitate partnering with laboratories focused on these screens. Discussion: In 2017, UNT Health Science Center will obtain a computer assisted patch-clamp electrophysiology system that will aid in the screening of ligands and candidate drug libraries for ion channel activity and cardiotoxicity screening. This system will be available for use by UNTHSC laboratories and industry collaborators. This presentation will outline the system's capabilities, potential screens for pharmacological targets, and develop collaborations to develop tomorrow's therapies.