Candidate Selectıon & Formulation Development

One of the key goals during candidate selection is ensuring effective binding between the drug and the intended target. Binding assays, such as isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), assess a compound’s affinity for its target. High binding affinity is necessary for in vivo potency and selectivity. ITC uniquely measures the heat of interaction (q) and provides insights into the thermodynamic driving forces by quantifying the contributions from enthalpy (∆H) and entropy (T∆S). Understanding these forces identifies if the binding interaction is specific vs. prone to off-target effects, ensuring that the right candidates advance in development. Other binding assays, such as Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), are limited to understanding the binding coefficient despite offering a higher throughput. Relying solely on binding affinity could result in the selection of non-selective candidates, leading to development delays and increased costs.