www.molecularbiometrics.com

Molecular Biometrics (MB), a privately held metabolomics company, has developed a novel technology platform based on breakthrough metabolomic and biospectroscopy sciences. MB has coined the term “Biospectroscopy-based Metabolomics” (BSM) to describe this technology platform. BSM is used to quantify a sample's molecular biomarker makeup and convert that data into a novel "metabolomic profile" of health or disease using highly specific and sensitive bioinformatics. Unlike many other metabolomic, proteomic or transcriptomic methods which require reference labs, MB provides a sensitive, small footprint, point of care diagnosis tool for rapid analysis.

Metabolomics embodies the study of cellular events downstream of those studied in the fields of genomics and proteomics. The complete inventory of small-molecules, such as metabolic intermediates, ATP, fatty acids, glucose, cholesterol, hormones, and secondary metabolites found within a biological sample are all part of the metabolome. Mining of the metabolome provides information that best describes phenotype, and this can also be used to infer gene function.

Small changes in the flux through an intracellular pathway lead to large changes in the metabolome composition which can be detected by metabolomic profiling. In contrast, research focusing on genomics or proteomics alone only examines a small portion of the essential events that define normal biological function. While genes can tell us the potential for a biological error and proteins tell us which genes have been expressed, metabolomics provides a real-time ‘snapshot’ of the downstream events that characterize gene expression. Metabolomics is therefore a relevant tool in the diagnosis and management of various medical conditions and thus an important method for studying basic biological function in concert with other methods.

Interest in the field of metabolomics is increasing across a wide variety of disciplines, including functional genomics, biomarker discovery, diagnostic and therapeutic monitoring, drug discovery and development, pharmacogenomics, and other life science applications. As metabolic biomarkers are identified they can be used to better understand specific disease processes based on the pathways involved. Looking at disease as a process rather than a state allows physicians to diagnose as well as track disease progression in order to provide the most appropriate treatment interventions on a patient-by-patient basis. Metabolomic technology will therefore enable the healthcare industry to rapidly move towards the practice of personalized medicine.

Biospectroscopy is an optical-based analytical technology that provides a spectrum which translates into a unique “fingerprint” defining metabolic status of the target sample. The Near Infrared (NIR) spectrophotometer needed to perform the analysis has been engineered to be reliable, cost effective, and user-friendly. MB’s proprietary bioinformatics rapidly capture and analyze multiple biomarker data and perform high-speed computations that produce results in about one minute.

MB’s lead product candidate is Viatest-E™, a rapid, non-invasive test of embryo viability for the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) market. The company's cost-effective platform enables identification and simultaneous analysis of multiple small molecule biomarkers of oxidative metabolism, in a single sample. The outcome provides an accurate scoring of embryos that is reflective of their likelihood of producing a pregnancy. Viatest-E™ is easily integrated into the embryo culture and assessment procedure. Non-invasive assessment of gamete reproductive potential is also being investigated by researchers at MB to determine oocyte and sperm quality.

Beyond fertility, MB is using its technology platform to develop non-invasive, point-of care applications in several other therapeutic categories, including maternal fetal medicine, neurodegenerative disease and pulmonary and lactate metabolism. This new family of diagnostic and monitoring tools will allow for earlier and more personalized therapeutic intervention. These tools will also impact the drug discovery and development process by enabling a more targeted approach to preclinical testing and patient selection and monitoring during clinical trials.

Molecular Biometrics, LLC
Phone: 908-879-3794
Fax: 908-879-5365
www.molecularbiometrics.com/