Technology

Metabolon has developed and patented proprietary methods for the detection and quantification of the small molecule repertoire present in biological specimens.  In over 180 commercial studies with pharmaceutical, government, and academic investigators, Metabolon has validated its technology as a powerful and production-ready tool for biomarker discovery.

Analytical Platform: Metabolon’s platform is designed and optimized to detect small molecule biomarkers from numerous chemical classes and various sample matrices (e.g. plasma, serum, urine, CSF, cell extracts, tissues).  Analysis by three unique analytical platforms, shown below, separates and detects the broadest range of biochemicals.



Metabolon’s global, non-targeted approach offers a unique advantage over other metabolomics services that provide only raw data (e.g. mass spec signals) or analyze a limited number of compounds chosen from a restricted panel of detectable chemicals.  With Metabolon’s solution, designing studies can be achieved without a complete understanding of the biology or biochemistry of your samples. 

Sophisticated Informatics: Metabolon’s patented and dedicated data processing environment consists of a streamlined enterprise informatics system enabling automatic real-time processing of data.  Metabolon’s specialized tools for processing and analyzing the large and complex metabolomics data sets consist of:

• Automated data extraction and reduction of raw mass spec data for non-targeted analysis
  • Automated component construction
  • Chromatographic peak alignment tools
• Identification of discrete compounds versus ion groups
  • Industry-leading library of named molecules, a spectral library matching analytical signatures
  • All study data securely stored within Metabolon’s laboratory information system (mLims)
  • Sophisticated data QC tools

Expert statistical interpretation of data: In over 180 commercial studies, Metabolon’s staff of dedicated statisticians has developed, tested, and validated statistical methods to identify compounds differing in concentration from a treatment group (i.e. disease/tox vs. healthy controls).

Biochemical and Biological Interpretation: Accurate biomarker identification is only the beginning of Metabolon’s value.  To provide the information necessary to make confident project decisions, analyses of the effected biochemical pathways and resulting biological processes are performed by Metabolon’s staff of experienced biochemists. 

At Metabolon, the global, unbiased biomarker discovery approach combined with customized analysis produces the intelligence needed to understand the mechanisms of disease and to advance research.  Only Metabolon offers this comprehensive, production-ready, and functional approach to metabolomics. 

Additional Resources

Metabolon’s Bet on Biochemistry