加拿大学者研发出更有效测量处方药功效的方法.docVIP

加拿大学者研发出更有效测量处方药功效的方法 科技部加拿大多伦多大学的研究团队开展出一种大量细胞计数法（mass cytometry），可以更快更广泛的测量处方药对人体细胞的反应及功效，提前发现细胞病变，研发出针对个人的治疗药物。多伦多大学化学系的研究员坦纳（Scott Tanner）发现，某些细胞亚群（sub-populations of cells）对药物的反应非常明显，有助于进一步了解这些细胞亚群的连锁信号反应。研究团队开发的大量细胞计数法，每秒可在1000个细胞内同时测量多达100种生物标志物。并通过采用新研发出的金属原子贴附化学方法，更有效地观测细胞内稍纵即逝、不易捕捉的生物分子标的物。 哥伦比亚大学和斯坦福大学的研究人员采用多伦多大学的新技术，观察人类骨髓产生的不同形态细胞中及表面的34种物质。研究人员不但能正确归类10多种不同类型的免疫细胞，还能观察到各类免疫细胞的内部变化，从而预知可能发生的变化。 研究人员的发现已刊登在最近的《Science》期刊上,同时该技术目前正由多伦多大学的附属企（DVS Sciences Inc.）研发上市。该公司最近获得罗氏和辉瑞的投资Big names in life sciences are backing DVS Sciences in a $14.6 million Series A round. With biomarker analysis technology for personalized medicine, the start-up has garnered investments from the investment vehicles of drug giants Pfizer ($PFE) and Roche as well as the venture firms 5AM Ventures and Mohr Davidow Ventures. 5AM led the round.DVS plans to use its cash infusion to commercialize its system that is similar in concept to a flow cytometer and can identify up to 100 biomarkers at a time. The system, which was developed with seed money from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, will be used for scientific research as well as clinical trials in which researchers aim to match patients with appropriate drugs based on biomarker analyses. Cancer drug development is expected to be a key area for the system. The company has its corporate headquarters in Sunnyvale, CA, and its manufacturing and research operations in Canada.This financing is the first step in our transformation from a research-based entity to a commercial company, Scott Tanner, DVS Sciences president, said. We are now in a position to commercialize our innovative instrumentation and reagents that will foster the acceleration of medical research, enable personalized therapeutic diagnosis and prognosis, and transform drug discovery.Life sciences investors have had some success investing in flow cytometer technology as of late, with scientific tools giant Becton Dickinsons ($BDX) buyout of vent