Reference tool aids drug discovery
guide to inhibitors for signal transduction and drug discovery
research that will enable researchers to pinpoint specific enzymes
as a possible target for drug therapy.
The Calbiochem Inhibitor Sourcebook represents a complete listing of inhibitors which includes detailed technical information on more than 100 inhibitors; a technical guide to aid researchers on inhibitor selection and use, research topic overviews for such ailments as cancer, Alzheimer's disease as well as cell signaling pathway schematics.
The Sourcebook provides information for drug discovery applications that involve interactions between cells, tissues, and organs controlled by internal and external signals that either stimulate or inhibit biological processes.
The ability to modulate enzyme activity in vitro using various research tools, such as enzyme inhibitors, allows researchers to dissect signal transduction pathways and understand the role of individual pathway components.
As a result of this understanding specific enzymes have been, and continue to be, pinpointed as the contributors or causes of dysfunction in many diseases and pathological conditions. Targeting these enzymes to normalize their activity is a major focus in the development of pharmaceuticals enabling researchers to pinpoint a specific enzyme as a possible target for drug therapy. In fact, many drug candidates are enzyme inhibitors.
Dr. Robert Mierendorf, chief technology officer at EMD said: "The Inhibitor SourceBook provides researchers with a new tool to facilitate rapid progress in drug discovery. Customer response to our Inhibitor SourceBook has already been favourable."
The SourceBook is suitable for anyone interested in enzymes. EMD disclosed that established relationships with a number of academicians had been formed but as enzymes are major focus of pharmaceutical development, many biotech and pharmaceutical companies were customers.
Karin Hughes, director of product management at EMD told DrugResearcher.com: "We recognized that researchers needed support in addition to product offerings and wanted to make it convenient for them to compare the efficacy of various inhibitors with the ultimate goal of aiding rapid progress in drug discovery."
"We provided researchers with a comprehensive offering of inhibitors along with detailed technical information, including inhibition constant information, facilitating inhibitor selection and use," she added.
The Inhibitor SourceBook complements other EMD resources, including Antibodies for Cancer Research and other literature pieces. In addition, we recently published a series of web-based Signal Transduction Interactive Pathways that depict known interactions that occur in cell signalling and can affect disease development and progression.
The Calbiochem Inhibitor SourceBook was released in September of this year, and is available free of charge at its website at www.calbiochem.com/inhibitor.
