Patrick L. Fernandez, PhD’s Post

A lot of people asked me recently why kinetics in #drugdiscovery matter (mostly scientists, but some smart investors too! 🤓), so I thought I'd summarise: Kinetics is crucial in drug discovery because it helps to understand how drugs interact with their targets. Kinetic studies can provide valuable information about the drug's pharmacological properties, including its potency, selectivity, and duration of action. Here's why we place so much value on kinetics at Arctoris: 1️⃣ Predicting drug efficacy: Kinetics can help predict how quickly a drug will bind to its target and how long it will stay bound. This information is critical for determining the drug's efficacy and optimal dosing regimen. 2️⃣ Optimizing drug design: Kinetic studies can help optimize the design of a drug by providing insights into the relationship between the chemical structure of the drug and its pharmacological properties. For example, knowing the kinetic parameters of a drug can help medicinal chemists design more potent and selective drugs with fewer side effects. 3️⃣ Understanding drug toxicity: Kinetic studies can help identify potential toxicity issues with a drug by revealing how it interacts with other biological molecules and how quickly it is metabolized and eliminated from the body. 4️⃣ Facilitating regulatory approval: Kinetic studies are required by regulatory agencies like the FDA to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new drugs. By providing a detailed understanding of a drug's pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, kinetic studies can help expedite the approval process. Kinetics are not only intellectually and aesthetically pleasing, but in fact a critical tool in drug discovery that can provide valuable insights into the pharmacological properties of potential drugs, enabling researchers to design safer and more effective treatments for a wide range of diseases. We use #automation to run these experiments as early as possible in the drug discovery journey so that we can identify and optimise the desired properties from the beginning. If you want to improve the success of your drug design, get in touch to discuss! #drugdiscovery #automation #design #medchem #success

Last week, Scott Stankey, Connor Lynn and the Protein Evolution team hosted U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal at our #newhaven HQ and bio-recycling lab. Senator Blumenthal saw firsthand how we are redefining recycling by breaking down used plastic waste and turning it into good-as-new material. We are grateful for the support from our CT Congressional leaders as we work to create a circular future for the plastics industry. #biorecycling #sustainability

Today Protein Evolution is proud to launch out of stealth mode as we announce more than $20M in initial funding and share our mission to build a lower-carbon, more circular future.    Our technology uses synthetic biology and AI to engineer enzymes that can effectively break down old plastics – whether that’s a water bottle, car tire, or piece of clothing – and create good-as-new, high-quality plastic material as a result.   Our approach is the first of its kind built to scale - using a low-emission, eco-friendly process. This will help to decarbonize the chemicals industry, while allowing companies, communities and governments to meet their sustainability commitments in the years ahead.   Thank you to our incredible team of investors, advisors and partners, including Jonathan Rothberg, Collaborative Fund, Stella McCartney, New Climate Ventures, Nextrans Vietnam, Eldridge and Good Friends Venture Capital, as well as our brilliant team of scientists and engineers who have worked day and night over the past year to bring our technology to life.   Together we are ushering in a new era of plastics—one that's sustainable and circular.    Learn more in Forbes – and thank you to Jeff Kart for sharing our story.   #proteinevolution #bioeconomy #biomanufacturing #infiniterecycling 

#Labscientists Tell me I'm not the only one 😂! #fridayvibes #labtechnician #lablife #phdlife #molecularbiology #lifesciences #laboratory Image Credit: @joblessbiotechs

Diana Aga joined the University at Buffalo, New York, in 2002 "after earning a PhD in analytical and environmental chemistry from the University of Kansas and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural chemistry from the University of the Philippines Los Baños."