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Metabolon Target

Targeted Metabolomics

Our readily available and custom-developed quantitative assays help you achieve your research and biomarker validation objectives with precise and fully validated methods. Our targeted metabolomics panels and assays cover more than 1000 metabolites and lipids across a wide range of biochemical classes, metabolic pathways, and physiological processes, and they can be customized to best fit any application.

Metabolomics reveals biological insights otherwise unseen, making it a crucial component of drug development. For a successful metabolomics study, both small molecule discovery and the ability to dig deeper into specific biomarkers of interest are needed to uncover actionable insights that propel new therapeutic developments. A specific combination of technology and expertise is required to identify these biomarkers of interest and develop assays that are sensitive enough to explore them fully.

Quantitative Small Molecule Assays

At Metabolon, we understand the crucial role targeted small molecule assays play in drug development, and we’ve established best-in-class expertise. Metabolon has developed quantitative assays for more than 900 biochemicals in over 20 different matrices, including more than 150 qualified and/or validated targeted biochemical assays for pharmaceutical and biotechnology research and development. These assays focus on specific metabolites or metabolic pathways and can be used to track biomarkers and enhance biological understanding across preclinical and clinical research.

Our approach speaks directly to the questions biopharma research directors are seeking to answer, such as understanding their therapeutic’s mechanism of action, establishing pharmacodynamics, gauging safety and efficacy, defining patient segmentation, and conducting post-market surveillance. Once the critical biomarkers that are most important to researchers are identified through discovery, a more precise and accurate quantitation of the biomarkers is sought. Metabolon’s strategic services offer biopharma clients global discovery followed with a direct targeted approach to dig deeper into promising and relevant biomarkers.

Quantitative Small Molecule Assay
Preclinical and Clinical Research Support

Preclinical and Clinical Research Support

Targeted assay and panel development is a natural progression following discovery using Metabolon’s first-in-class metabolomics panel. The Metabolon Global Discovery Panel uses statistical approaches to assess the relative quantity of thousands of biomarkers. Our targeted assays and panels pick up from there, taking the discovery work and developing a more precise, accurate measurement of those few molecules that are of most interest. We apply LC-MS/MS based methods to determine absolute quantities of important biomarkers, using labeled internal standards as well as calibrators.

Unique Expertise in Targeted Metabolomics

Our expertise in the measurement of endogenous biomarkers is unique and second to none. Most bioanalytical services offer expertise in exogenous biomarker measurements, such as the drug of interest or compounds that are exogenously introduced into a system. Metabolon targeted panels measure endogenous biomarkers naturally found at various levels within biological systems. Since endogenous biomarkers are sometimes present at the lower limits of analytical detection, the sensitivity of the assay becomes paramount. Furthermore, modest changes in biomarker levels may have biological relevance; Metabolon’s highly accurate targeted assays are required to tease out even modest changes in analyte levels. Our team of Ph.D.-level method development scientists has a degree of experience in endogenous biomarker assay development that few places, if any, in the world can match. Our scientists are highly efficient and experienced in endogenous small molecule analysis, bringing additional data and actionable insights to drug development and clinical trials. No other bioanalytical company can translate metabolomic data and biomarker discovery into valuable biological insight using targeted LC-MS/MS analysis in the way that we can.
Unique Expertise
Metabolon's Research Standards

Metabolon’s Metabolomics Research Standards

Finally, Metabolon’s capability is unique because we can operate under a research or clinical setting. In addition to our targeted work meeting specific client study demands, we also develop assays specifically used in clinical testing. LC-MS/MS-based assays can be customized based on client needs and developed under the quality system for Research Use Only (RUO) or validated under Good Clinical Practice (GCP) or Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). Metabolon is ISO 9001: 2015 certified for analytical and diagnostic testing of biological specimens and accredited by the College of American Pathologists for diagnostic testing on human specimens.

Nowhere else will you find a laboratory like Metabolon’s that combines a world-class metabolomics discovery platform with a highly sophisticated analytical chemistry laboratory doing targeted analysis the way we do it. We have spent nearly 20 years building the best metabolomics competency in the world to enable, accelerate and support drug development through biomarker discovery, understanding mechanism of action, patient stratification, and more.

We proudly cover the whole breadth of the biopharma pipeline, from discovery to targeted analysis to clinical trial support, because your success is our goal.

Is your study yielding all the insights it could be? Download our free infographic to learn more about the five risks of drug development and how you can avoid them with metabolomics, and contact us today to get started.

See how Metabolon can advance your path to preclinical and clinical insights

Why Metabolon?

Once you see the full value of metabolomics, the only remaining question is who does it best? While many laboratories have metabolite profiling or analytical chemistry capabilities, comprehensive metabolomics technologies are extremely rare. Accurate, unbiased metabolite identification across the entire metabolome introduces signal-to-noise challenges that very few labs are equipped to handle. Also, translating massive quantities of data into actionable information is slow, if not impossible, for most because proper interpretation takes two things that are in short supply: experience and a comprehensive database.

Only Metabolon has all four core metabolomics capabilities

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Coverage

Ability to interrogate thousands of metabolites across diverse biochemical space, revealing new insights and opportunities

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Comparability

Ability to integrate the data from different studies into the same dataset, in different geographies, among different patients over time

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Competency

Ability to inform on proper study design, generate high‐quality data, derive biological insights, and make actionable recommendations

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Capacity

Ability to process hundreds of thousands of samples quickly and cost‐efficiently to service rapidly growing demand

Partner with Metabolon to access:

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A library of 5,400+ known metabolites, 2,000 in human plasma, all referenced in the context of biochemical pathways

  • That’s 5x the metabolites of the closest competitor
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Unparalleled depth and breadth of experience analyzing and interpreting metabolomic data to find meaningful results

  • 10,000+ projects with hundreds of clients
  • 2,000+ publications covering 500 diseases, including numerous peer-reviewed journals such as Cell, Nature and Science
  • Nearly 40 PhDs in data science, molecular biology, and biochemistry

Using our robust platform and visualization tools, our experts are uniquely able to tell you more about your molecule and develop assay panels to help you zero in on the results you need.

Contact Us

Talk with an expert

Request a quote for our services, get more information on sample types and handling procedures, request a letter of support, or submit a question about how metabolomics can advance your research.

Corporate Headquarters

617 Davis Drive, Suite 100
Morrisville, NC 27560

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 110407
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

+1 (919) 572-1721