BioTrove, Inc. announced it has formed a research collaboration with Constellation Pharmaceuticals in which Constellation will utilize BioTrove's RapidFire Mass Spectrometry (RF-MS) system to accelerate development of novel therapeutics in the emerging field of epigenetics.

"We believe BioTrove's RapidFire system, which uses biologically relevant assays earlier in the discovery process, will ultimately provide us with rapid and accurate data analysis, reducing our research and development time, enhancing our ability to rapidly and accurately identify promising new lead compounds for drug development in multiple therapeutic areas," said Mark Levin, chief executive officer, Constellation Pharmaceuticals.

Constellation was founded in April of 2008 as the first biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel drugs targeting selective regulators of epigenetic function through a $32 million Series A financing led by Third Rock Ventures, The Column Group and Venrock.

Constellation researchers will use BioTrove's RapidFire screening and analysis system to explore a new class of drugs regulating the epigenome to alter gene expression by manipulation of chromatin's histone proteins. Slight modifications in protein structure are difficult to identify using conventional screening methods; however, RapidFire technology provides label-free, biologically relevant data so that researchers can determine which compounds may be validated or compromised before further investigation.

The RapidFire system is specifically effective in lead discovery, providing fast and detailed data in both primary and secondary screens on the same platform, as well as in vitro ADME assays. RapidFire allows for the analysis of a wide range of otherwise intractable targets such as triglycerides, lipids, fatty acids, prostaglandins, steroids, coenzyme A derivatives, neurotransmitters, anti-fungals and anti-infectives, which are difficult to study using traditional methods such as fluorescence or radiolabels. Compressing the time to develop assays for this unique class of targets will enable Constellation to screen its novel epigenetic drug candidates more efficiently and effectively than current available technologies.

"Investigating novel therapeutic targets with our RapidFire mass spectrometry system provides researchers with a quick turn-around for new assay validation in the drug discovery process," said Al Luderer, president and CEO of BioTrove. "BioTrove is setting the foundation for ways to explore new clinical ideas and approaches, such as Constellation's work in the promising field of epigenetics, while reducing budgets and timelines. Our industry-leading technology supports drug discovery for a wide range of therapeutic targets and we are excited to add epigenetic targets to that expanding list."

BioTrove, Inc. offers two innovative technology platforms: OpenArray, which advances genomic research in a wide range of life science fields, including agriculture, disease research, and public health, and RapidFire, which enables the acceleration of drug discovery and pipeline decisions.

Constellation Pharmaceuticals is the first biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of novel therapeutics in the emerging field of Epigenetics, a new field of science which is focused on selective regulators of epigenetic function, which are critical to controlling gene function and expression.