The XenoGene™ Assay: Drugs for Specific Targets

Cells dependent on the foreign gene are exposed to drug candidates. Drugs that are specific for the product of a given foreign gene will affect the growth of the strain carrying that gene and not others. Nonspecific compounds will act on several or all strains.

This approach allows CompleGen to rapidly identify compounds that are very specific for a target and do not act on non-target molecules even if they are in the same family of molecules.

For example, CompleGen scientists have been able to discover compounds that inhibit human pyruvate kinase found in red blood cells, but not pyruvate kinases found in other tissues. This allows us to find drugs that are more effective and less toxic, as well as compounds that are species specific (antibiotics, herbicides and pesticides).

The XenoGene™ Assay
Comparative Compound Screening