Automated patch clamp experts: Stefano Stabilini, Senior Scientist from Metrion Biosciences, and our Sophion Application Scientist Beatrice Badone have collaborated to develop a novel current clamp assay on the Qube 384. By screening compounds against the Kv1.3 ion channel in current clamp mode, the assay allows the direct effects of the potassium channel’s modulation to be measured in terms of the changes in membrane voltage.

Dr. Eddy Stevens, Director of Drug Discovery at Metrion Biosciences posits that this membrane voltage measure, e.g. Resting Membrane Potential, RMP, is the direct translation of the channel current activity and a definition of how excitable the compound has made the cell membrane.

Thus, for Kv1.3 modulating compounds, this Qube current clamp assay will allow the drug discovery of Kv1.3 inhibitors. The inhibitor activity will functionally translate into a hyperpolarized, less excitable cell membrane in effector memory T-cells (TEM), which have been identified as driving over-activity in autoimmune diseases (such as psoriasis).