SymCel Launches Commercial Solution of Innovative Label-Free Cell-Based Assay

Symcel — the company behind the revolutionary cell-based assay tool providing real time cellular bioenergetics measurements — has announced the commercial readiness of its calScreener system, over 10 years in development. Since the technology has moved from its prototype into a fully functional commercial platform, three units have been installed at leading international research institutions with exponential growth predicted during the next few years.

The calScreener is a drug discovery tool enabling continuous monitoring of energy release from biological systems regardless of morphology. The label-free detection system provides significant cost advantages and is predicted to revolutionise drug discovery techniques. The last few years has seen a drive in drug discovery for technologies that enable more in vivo like environments. By measuring the total energy released, the calScreener system actively measures the true phenotype effect and thus a more accurate indication of pharmacodynamics, regardless of pathway or mechanism involved, as the measurement is non-invasive and non-destructive, also enables post experimental analysis of cellular contents and metabolites.

What is remarkable about this system is its flexibility of experiments, with parameters such as toxic effects, bioavailability, stability of tested compound and, ultimately, drug efficacy. Current technologies are focused on genotype performance testing, whereas calScreener is the only solution that enables a true phenotype screen.

The company has predicted significant sales across Europe in 2014, with US market launch forecast within the next year. “Already we have seen a huge demand for the calScreener as pharma companies search for more predictive models to drug discovery. The technology is the closest to in vivo testing of any commercially available product and provides far better clinical predictability in drug development. The system is adapted for 3D cell cultures and monitors tissue like behaviour and can also used for bacteria, yeast and parasites,” commented Christer Wallin, President & CEO at SymCel.

Having successfully proved the commercial viability at three sites, the company is now actively looking for partners across Europe and will design bespoke systems and installations for each customer.