Seizure Ion Channel Screening for Drug Discovery
Over the past few years, we’ve developed and rebranded our iSLA service to incorporate additional CNS assays. This new service, iLA Seizure, launched in 2022, won the King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation in 2025. Read more about this development and its wide-reaching recognition below.
Dr Kimberly Rockley is lead author for our Tox Sci Spotlight paper
This paper discusses the use of predictive assays in a large pharmaceutical company
Central Nervous System (CNS) adverse effects are common in drug discovery and are always important to identify early.
Ion channels are critical to the functioning of the CNS, so the screening of discovery compounds for activities against ion channel targets can aide in identifying hazards. For drugs that are known to penetrate the blood brain barrier, understanding ion channel liabilities is critical.
Our panel of 15 human ion channels relevant to the seizure liability is available to be screened using automated electrophysiology
| Panel | NaV1.1 | NaV1.2 | NaV1.6 | KV1.1 | KV2.1 | KV3.1 | KV4.2 | KV7.2/7.3 | KV7.3/7.5 | KCa1.1 | KCa4.1 | CaV2.1 |
GABA α1β2γ2 |
Nicotinic α4β2 |
NMDA 1/2A |
TREK1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Seizure Panel
|
● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | Not included |
By working with ApconiX you will benefit from our combined expertise in ion channel electrophysiology, and project toxicology to identify risks, gain mechanistic insight and prioritise the right candidates moving forward.
You will benefit from:
- High-quality ion channel profiling with a turnaround time of 14 days from receipt of compound
- High-throughput assays with reduced reliance on costly animal studies with questionable translation
- Access to ApconiX scientists who will tailor our service specifically to your needs and better advise you on your next steps
Our Services:
What we need from you
- We require 2-3mg compound solid or in solution for the ion channel panel
What you will receive:
- Our reports provide IC50 values for each compound generated by 4 – 6pt concentration-response curves which are generated using automated patch-clamp technology (Patchliner, Nanion Technologies or QPatch II, Sophion Biosciences). Patchliner and QPatch II achieve Giga-Ohm seal resistances resulting in excellent data quality
- Full reports are delivered within 2 weeks of receipt of compound
Many clients combine the ion channel panel with a microelectrode array (MEA) assay that utilises human derived neuronal stem cells to demonstrate potential seizure activity by measuring electrical activity.
