Biosensor chips aid drug development

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and Pierre Fabre Médicament (PFM) have teamed up to study the use of biosensor chips in the clinical development of drugs 

The biosensor chips developed by the EPFL's scientists are able to assess an individuals’ homeostasis and measure the concentration in the body of an active agent coming from an administered drug.

Lawrence Audoly, research and development director at PFM said: "The use of biosensor chips in clinical studies is an innovative project whose success would boost the development of effective and safe new molecules for patients."

In the clinical development stage of molecules the biosensors chip will measure the concentration of active agents administered and make it possible to analyse the therapeutic effect and tolerability of the drug.

The companies also said that once a drug is marketed, this new technology could also make it easier to monitor treatment progress and adherence for specific diseases, expensive treatments or drugs with low therapeutic range.

Sandro Carrara, professor at EPFL said: "Knowing precisely and in real time the effect of drugs on the body is critical to personalised medicine and the accuracy expected in tomorrow's world.

“Biosensor chips bring to the research teams of Pierre Fabre Médicament a unique and reliable solution to measure with extreme accuracy data that are critical to our understanding of the effects of a drug candidate."