By Dominic Andrada

Luminex was honored to participate in the 2023 AAPS PharmSci 360 conference in Orlando, Florida, where we rolled out our new redesigned booth as a Diasorin company, and we were represented by research partners that included MilliporeSigma and Charles River Laboratories. Renowned for its all-encompassing approach, every autumn the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) holds the conference as one of the key events to share and exchange information for producing better therapeutics.

Providing the latest advances in pharmaceutical sciences

The pharmaceutical industry is ever-evolving, with breakthroughs in science and technology driving constant advancements to develop more efficacious drugs that have greater safety and are manufactured with ever-improving techniques. The 2023 event covered the entire spectrum of pharmaceutical sciences, from drug discovery and development to regulatory sciences, manufacturing and quality control, as it focused on the following five tracks: Discovery and Basic Research, Preclinical and Translational Sciences, Bioanalytics, Manufacturing and Analytical Characterization, and Formulation and Delivery.

The landscape of various biomarkers in clinical drug development

Among the many interesting scientific sessions, workshops, and keynote presentations was Lindsay King from Pfizer presenting his keynote, “Biomarker Selection and Utility in Clinical Drug Development Today: Workhorses and Unicorns,” which addressed the landscape of different biomarkers in clinical drug development and highlighted that the utility of a given biomarker is dictated by the context of its use (COU), whether as a safety biomarker or to delineate the mechanism of action for a disease.

Another interesting keynote was by professor Jashvant Unadkat, PhD, titled, “Novel Tools and Insights into Predicting Systemic and Tissue Drug Concentrations in Humans Including Special Populations,” where he discussed his work from the Department of Pharmaceutics at the University of Washington regarding drug transporters using quantitative targeted proteomics and traditional PK modeling studies.

Utilizing xMAP^® Technology across various disciplines in drug development

Furthermore, several attendees visited the Luminex booth to ask about our partners’ new immunoassays and the xMAP INTELLIFLEX^® System. Hearing their insights into how they use xMAP^® Technology across disciplines in drug development—from pre-clinical stages to monitoring safety in human clinical trials— proved invaluable, offering practical knowledge and hands-on experiences applicable in real-world scenarios.

xMAP Technology enables other biotechnology companies

We also enjoyed hearing from those representing various biotech companies, including several startups, that rely on xMAP Technology to develop and deliver better products. For example, Ira Herman at Precision Healing spoke about using xMAP assays to evaluate wounds that don’t heal easily. By testing samples of wound exudate with custom 15-plex and 27-plex assays developed with the LuminexPLORE Lab team, the company aims to improve and personalize healing treatments for challenging wounds.

This year’s PharmSci 360 brought together experts from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies to address the complex challenges in drug development, in addition to also allowing Luminex customers to connect with us and share how they continue to utilize the versatility of xMAP Technology to overcome these complex endeavors. For both seasoned professionals and budding scientists, the conference provided a platform for continuous learning and skill development.

Learn how LuminexPLORE Lab custom assay services can help your endeavors

To learn more about using xMAP Technology in your next drug discovery or development project, check out our LuminexPLORE Lab. Our expert team of application scientists specializes in immunoassay and genomic assay development, leveraging industry-leading xMAP^® and xTAG^® technologies to support a broad range of drug development disciplines.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

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