Serving the Life Sciences Community

At Atheris, we like to offer our expertise in two major domains: Analytical Services and Discovery Projects. We are most efficient when fully involved in our tasks and when analytical challenges hit our know-how. Our priorities are quality, flexibility, efficiency, precision, accuracy and delivery.

We like to please and most of our customers and partners are with us on a long term basis.

Imagine

Atheris Analytical    -     Atheris Discovery

Atheris Analytical

Based on our solid and long term experience in mass spectrometry, biochemistry, protein engineering and metabolic studies, we offer a broad range of bioanalytical services that makes best use of our strong R&D technology platform. These include:

• MASS SPECTROMETRY- Molecular mass determination, purity and quality control, structural elucidation, post-translational modifications, de novo amino acid sequencing, protein identification, quantitative studies, proteomics, petidomics, lipidomics and metabolomics.
  
  
• BIOCHEMISTRY - Extraction, fractionation, purification, process development, conditioning, purity and quality control (chromatography, electrophoresis, amino acid analysis and Edman sequencing), non-covalent and covalent protein-protein interactions, Edman sequencing, quantitative analyses, etc.
  
  
• PROTEIN ENGINEERING - Peptide synthesis, refolding of disulfide bonds, structural design, lead optimization, structure-function studies, site-directed chemical modifications, labeling with dyes and ligands, stable isotope labeling, ligation, immobilization, microtechniques.
  
  
• METABOLIC STUDIES - Pharmacokinetics (PK-LADME), in vitro and in vivo quantitative studies in complex biological matrices (LC, LC-MS and LC-MS/MS), isotope dilution assay, method development, method validation, PK-ADME studies, identification, characterization and dosage of secondary metabolites.
  
  

This allows us to deliver detailed analytical reports and certificates of analysis and to assist our partners in their daily work and decision making process.

In 2008, Atheris has been moving towards ISO and GLP certification to better meet its partners’ expectations.

Atheris Discovery

Chemical libraries have shown their limitations and natural extracts are complex substances that require intense efforts. Today, most discovery projects are still bioactivity-guided. Indeed, very often, a biological activity assay is the first step taken in the quest for new compounds, followed by the isolation and characterization of the native bioactive substance from natural libraries. This strategy is time consuming and requires large amounts of material.

At Atheris, we like to combine this to our proprietary structure-driven approach, which leverages the whole process:

• VENOMS TO DRUGS- Animal venoms are highly complex mixtures of biologically active compounds. These biomolecules have been tailor-made by millions of years of evolution to carry out specific offensive and defensive tasks. Venom molecules were thus gradually modified to match a multitude of highly specific targets, hence their unique pharmacological properties offers them a high potential as drug candidates. Not less than five venom-derived compounds have already reached the market!
  
  
• VENOMS DATABASE - Nowadays, current bioinformatics and mass spectrometry can generate an abundance of valuable data not only in a very short period of time, but more importantly using much smaller sample amounts. This is why we have developed unique databases and biocomputing tools (chemoinformatics, chemotaxonomy, biostatistics, data- and text-mining) to assist the drug discovery process.
  
  
• LEAD DISCOVERY- This has pushed Atheris to develop and validate complementary structure-driven processes. Our proprietary strategy is based on peptidomics, and makes best use of our bioinformatics and analytical platforms. Samples are selected by in silico identification of venoms offering higher success rates. Judiciously coupled to mass spectrometry and genetic information, this enhances drastically the chances of success, speeds-up the whole discovery process and generates high quality lead compounds.
  
  
• EARLY DEVELOPMENT - Classical drug design strategies aiming at improving on Nature are efficient, but again expensive, time consuming and never exhaustive. Here again, we have developed original complementary approaches in which we like to rely on Nature. In most cases, an identified hit will belong to a family of compounds, and Nature will already have designed dozens of optimised analogues. These can be found in the same samples or in venoms from related species, and they offer clues for improved lead optimization and strengthen the intellectual property portfolio. We like to be inspired by Nature!
  
  
• BIOMARKERS - .We have established an original label-free peptidomic method for the discovery and validation of new biomarkers in human body fluids and tissues. Our simple and robust approach compares the intact peptide and protein profiles patients with matched controls. In contrast to classical proteomics studies, our approach focuses on the low molecular protein fraction of the plasma. Using very stringent analytical conditions and sophisticated biostatistical tools, we can identify reliable biomarkers on small sets of samples. Discovering biomarkers is crucial for the diagnosis, prognosis and follow-up of the pathological state, for example in the frame of a medical treatment.
  

Our know how in mass spectrometry, protein sciences and bioinformatics allow us to be active in a variety of scientific domains.

Technology Platform

All this would not be possible without a strong technology platform coupled to long term know-how and recognized world class expertise. We have fully equipped laboratories, including six state-of-the art mass spectrometers, equipment for liquid chromatography equipment (several HPLC's, FPLC, etc.), liquid and solid phase peptide synthesis, automated Edman degradation sequencing, robots for sample handling, lyophilization, etc.; with all necessary space, office equipment, administrative and legal assistance.

Top of page