LIFE Biosystems to present MASE data at AACR annual meeting

Adverse events (AEs), or side effects, have traditionally been viewed as an unavoidable consequence in the therapeutic treatment of cancer patients. Yet sufficient data exists to study the relationship between molecular mechanisms, and drug-induced phenotypes to learn about - and even predict - adverse events in patients.

At this year's American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting, LIFE Biosystems was selected to present a poster on its in silico platform dedicated to the Molecular Analysis of Side Effect Information (MASE). MASE allows doctors and scientists to, for the first time, associate adverse events with specific patient treatment, outcome and molecular mechanisms. That platform is paving the way for more successful care for clinical oncology patients.

MASE currently uses data from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) - the FDA's repository of adverse event reports associated with FDA approved products. By cross analyzing case reports, reactions, indications and therapies on AERS with drugs, targets, metabolic enzymes and transporters, MASE enables the molecular analysis of adverse events information.

"Drug safety is critical to the protection of patient well-being and the healthcare system as a whole," said David Jackson, Chief Scientific Officer, LIFE Biosystems. "While traditional approaches to the identification of risk have relied on statistical and/or model system-based approaches, MASE identifies risk using patient-specific molecular models, leading to more accurate identification of safer and more cost-effective patient care."

MASE integrates curated and contextualized information for all marketed drugs, documenting the total adverse event cases as well as co-medicated drugs reported. Molecular views were generated highlighting all elements of the proteome disturbed through administration of these therapies. Cases can be queried to analyze side effects and outcomes associated with specific drug combinations, targets, metabolizing enzymes, pathways or indications. Most importantly, MASE includes a set of analytical approaches that mine for target combinations that are clinically beneficial, that increase the incidence of side effects, and that alleviate certain drug side effects. It also provides a strategy to predict novel targets of established drugs, based on side effect dissimilarities between otherwise structurally comparable agents.

"MASE provides a truly innovative approach to the analysis of clinical information that raises exciting implications for improved patient care," said Jackson. "Ultimately, the platform helps to position us as a leader in treatment decision support."

LIFE Biosystems will present "MASE: A system for the molecular analysis of side effect information and its application to marketed cancer therapeutics" at the AACR annual meeting on Sunday, April 3, 2011, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The poster session will be PO.CB11.01, Bioinformatic Methods and Databases (Abstract number 56/poster number 14).

Source: LIFE Biosystems