As a vital part of the development and discovery of therapeutics, in vitro DMPK (drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic) studies are a well-established component of a highly regulated process that helps bridge the gap between new therapeutics in the R&D stage to pre-clinical and clinical markets. Through in vitro ADME (adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) studies from tissue or cell lines, a plethora of properties are investigated that help determine a drug’s bioavailability to target tissues, biological activity, drug-drug interactions, and many other properties with an end goal to determine a selected drug candidate’s ability to reach the target and perform desired therapeutic effect.
While the cutting-edge discovery of novel therapeutics relies upon DMPK studies, the first step involves high throughput preparation of the drug-treated tissue or cell line sample for various downstream experiments. What comes with the high throughput nature of these experiments and preparing tissue/cell samples can be a daunting task that is traditionally left to the work of lengthy enzymatic incubations or hands-on manual processing steps. Without high-throughput automated sample preparation solutions that drug development labs require by nature, time is misspent, and valuable personnel are tied to the lab bench processing samples.
Introducing OMNI automated sample preparation workstations into drug development laboratories is second nature for our diversified team. Our automation platforms, namely the OMNI Prep 96 Automated Homogenizer Workstation and the OMNI LH 96 Automated Sample Preparation Workstation, have been incorporated into many well-known pharmaceutical labs across the globe, helping every scientist achieve the simplicity and maximize efficiency in sample preparation that their therapeutics development research demands.
The OMNI Prep 96 Automated Homogenizer Workstation is a fully automated walk-away homogenizing platform that enables processing up to 96 samples in any batch.
• Compatible with tube sizes ranging from 5 mL to 50 mL
• Features rotor stator technology, capable of homogenizing various tissue types or cell lines
• The resulting product is a completely homogenized sample
• SBS format tube racks enable downstream reformatting on liquid handling robot
Offering scientists “tube to plate” automation, the OMNI LH 96 Automated Sample Preparation Workstation can carry out each step of a sample prep workflow.
• Weighing a sample
• Calculating and adding a buffer to the sample tube according to pre-determined w/v ratios
• Homogenizing the sample
• Reformatting the resulting homogenates into a 96-well plate
Upon completing the automated LH 96 protocol, the resulting product is a downstream compatible 96-well plate containing homogenates ready for analyte extraction and detection.
Let’s break down the OMNI Prep 96 Automated Homogenizer Workstation and OMNI LH 96 Automated Sample Preparation Workstation a bit further. Both OMNI automated platforms are in an elevated caliber of their own, collectively representing the automated sample homogenization market. By utilizing rotor-stator technology, both platforms can homogenize a wide range of tissue types and cell lines, from soft liver tissue to cartilaginous gastrointestinal tissue using disposable plastic OMNI TipsTM plastic genrator probes, OMNI TipTM Hybrid probes, or stainless-steel probes to carry out the homogenization process depending on the needs of the user.
A lab incorporating OMNI automated platforms for sample preparation is supported by several key benefits centered around streamlining workflow efficiency by enabling researchers to obtain more reliable and consistent results while reducing the time and effort required for processing.
Time and Labor Savings: Automated homogenization reduces the need for manual grinding or blending of samples, saving time and reducing labor-intensive efforts. This allows researchers to process a larger number of samples in a shorter period, increasing productivity and throughput.
Consistency and Reproducibility: Automation increases level of consistency and reproducibility in sample preparation. By following predefined protocols and parameters, automated homogenization may produce uniform and consistent sample preparations, reducing the variability that can arise from manual techniques.
Standardization: Automated sample preparation enables standardization across multiple experiments and laboratories. By utilizing the same homogenization settings and methods, researchers can achieve more consistent results and compare data across different studies or research groups.
Improved Sample Quality: Automated homogenization can help achieve better sample quality by providing efficient and effective sample disruption and homogenization. This is particularly important for applications such as genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, where the quality of the starting material can significantly impact the accuracy and reliability of downstream analyses.
Reduced Contamination and Cross-Contamination: Automation reduces the risk of contamination and cross-contamination during sample preparation. Closed systems and disposable or autoclavable components prevent sample carryover and reduce the chances of introducing external contaminants, ensuring the integrity of the samples.
Enhanced Safety: Automated homogenization reduces the risk of operator exposure to hazardous or infectious materials. It reduces the need for manual handling of samples, thereby improving safety and reducing the potential for accidents or injuries.
Increased Workflow Efficiency: Integrating automated sample preparation into laboratory workflows streamlines the overall experimental process. By automating time-consuming and repetitive tasks, researchers can allocate their time and skills to more complex and intellectually demanding activities, accelerating the pace of scientific discoveries.
Data Integrity: Automated sample preparation systems often include software that allows for data tracking, documentation, and traceability. This ensures more accurate recording of the sample preparation parameters, facilitating data analysis, and maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements.
The terms OMNI sample prep automation and pharmaceutical research go hand in hand. Offering a robust automated solution for the high throughput processing demands of DMPK analysis not only helps decrease the bottlenecks found with alternative methods but also pushes forward the processing potential of a given laboratory by streamlining its development and discovery process.
Interested in how OMNI Sample Prep automation can push your pharmaceutical research to the next level? Reach out to our automation experts today.
For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
