Welcome to Creative Biolabs, your partner in accelerating antifungal drug discovery and development. With the increasing threat of drug-resistant fungal pathogens and the limited number of new antifungal agents, innovative strategies are crucial. Our comprehensive Antifungal Drug Combination & Synergy Study Service is designed to help you identify, characterize, and optimize synergistic drug combinations, offering a powerful approach to overcome resistance, improve efficacy, and reduce drug-related toxicity. Contact Us for a Customized Quote
Service Overview: The Power of Synergy
The challenge of treating invasive fungal infections is compounded by the emergence of drug resistance and the inherent toxicity of many current antifungal drugs. Combination therapy, the use of two or more agents simultaneously, represents a pragmatic and effective strategy. By targeting multiple pathways or virulence factors, synergistic drug combinations can:
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Overcome Drug Resistance: A drug-resistant strain may be susceptible to a combination that circumvents its resistance mechanism.
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Enhance Efficacy: Achieve a greater therapeutic effect than the sum of the individual drugs.
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Reduce Toxicity: Allow for lower doses of individual drugs, minimizing adverse side effects.
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Broaden the Therapeutic Spectrum: Effectively treat a wider range of fungal pathogens.
Our service provides the in-depth in vitro and in vivo data you need to identify and validate promising drug combinations, moving your lead compounds toward clinical trials with a strong scientific rationale.
Detailed Scope of Service: Tailored Solutions for Your Research Needs
Our services are fully customizable to meet the unique needs of your research program. We offer a modular approach, allowing you to select the services that best fit your project goals.
Workflow
Service Details
In Vitro Characterization Services
Target and Strain Profiling
In Vivo Studies
Samples
Deliverables
Turnaround Time
In Vitro Synergy Screening & Characterization
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Checkerboard Assay: The gold standard for quantitative synergy testing. We perform broth microdilution checkerboard assays to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of drug pairs in a 2D matrix. This allows for the calculation of the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI), a quantitative measure of synergy, additivity, or antagonism.
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Time-Kill Assays: To evaluate the dynamic interaction of drug combinations over time. We can determine if the combination is fungistatic or fungicidal and if the synergistic effect persists over extended exposure.
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High-Throughput Screening (HTS): For rapid and efficient screening of large compound libraries or natural product extracts in combination with your lead antifungal. This allows for the discovery of novel synergistic partners.
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Biofilm Susceptibility Testing: Many fungal infections, particularly those associated with medical devices, involve biofilm formation. We can test the efficacy of drug combinations against fungal biofilms using established methods.
Target and Strain Profiling
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Broad Pathogen Panel: We maintain an extensive biobank of clinically relevant fungal pathogens, including species of Candida (e.g., C. albicans, C. auris, C. glabrata), Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, and Mucorales.
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Resistant Strain Panel: Our collection includes isolates with known resistance mechanisms (e.g., azole-resistant A. fumigatus or echinocandin-resistant C. glabrata) to specifically test the ability of combinations to overcome resistance.
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Mechanism of Action (MoA) Studies: We can perform assays to elucidate the molecular and cellular basis of a synergistic effect, including:
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Ergosterol quantification
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Cell wall integrity assays
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Gene expression analysis (e.g., RT-qPCR)
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High-content imaging to visualize cellular changes
In Vivo Proof-of-Concept Studies
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Murine Models: We offer established and customizable murine models of invasive fungal infections (e.g., systemic candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis) to validate promising in vitro synergies. These studies provide crucial data on the clinical relevance of your drug combination.
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Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) Analysis: We can perform PK/PD studies to understand how the drugs behave in the body and how their concentrations relate to their therapeutic effect in combination.
Sample Information
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Compounds: We accept compounds in powder or solution form. Please provide detailed information on solubility, stability, and recommended storage conditions.
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Microbial Isolates: You may provide your own characterized fungal strains. We require a certificate of analysis, growth conditions, and relevant resistance profiles. We also offer our extensive in-house collection of pathogens for your convenience.
Deliverables
A comprehensive final report including:
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Detailed methodology
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Raw data and analyzed results (e.g., FICI values)
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High-quality graphs and figures
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Scientific interpretation and conclusions
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Recommendations for future studies
Turnaround Time
Turnaround time is project-dependent. For standard in vitro checkerboard assays, a typical timeline is 4-6 weeks from sample receipt. HTS and in vivo studies will have a longer timeline, which will be outlined in your custom proposal.
Ready to discuss your project? Let us get in touch and explore how our consulting services can help you achieve your goals.
Mechanism of Action & Rationale
Antifungal drugs typically act on specific targets, such as the cell wall, cell membrane, or nucleic acid synthesis. Examples of synergistic mechanisms we can investigate include:
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Sequential Pathway Inhibition: Two drugs target different enzymes within the same metabolic pathway (e.g., ergosterol biosynthesis).
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Cross-Pathway Inhibition: One drug inhibits a primary target, while the other inhibits a compensatory or parallel pathway.
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Permeability Enhancement: One agent increases the permeability of the fungal cell membrane, allowing the second agent to enter and act more effectively.
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Anti-Virulence Synergy: A non-antifungal agent, such as a compound that disrupts biofilm formation or other virulence factors, is combined with a traditional antifungal to enhance its effect.
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Host-Fungus Interaction: A drug that modulates the host's immune response is combined with a direct-acting antifungal.
Our Advantages: Why Partner with Us?
Deep Scientific Expertise
Our team of mycologists and infectious disease experts has extensive experience in antifungal drug discovery and combination therapy.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
We operate a compliant laboratory equipped with high-throughput screening platforms and validated assays.
Comprehensive Pathogen Library
Access to a diverse collection of standard and clinically resistant fungal strains.
Customized Solutions
We go beyond standard assays to design bespoke experiments that address your specific research questions.
Confidentiality & Data Integrity
We adhere to the highest standards of data security and confidentiality.
Applications: Where Our Services Fit?
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Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies: Accelerating lead optimization and candidate selection by identifying the most effective drug combinations.
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Academic Researchers: Validating novel natural product extracts or synthetic compounds as synergistic agents.
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Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs: Providing data to support rational combination therapy strategies in a clinical setting.
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Drug Repurposing: Identifying existing drugs with unsuspected synergistic activity against fungal pathogens.
Ready to advance your antifungal drug development program? Contact us today to request a quote or schedule a free consultation with our scientific team.
Your next breakthrough is just a conversation away. Let's talk about your challenges and find a custom solution together.
FAQs
How do you determine the synergy in a time-kill assay?
We compare the reduction in fungal colony-forming units (CFU) over time for the combination versus the individual drugs. A synergistic effect is typically defined as a ≥2−log10 increase in killing compared to the most active single agent.
Can you test a combination of more than two drugs?
Yes, we can adapt our assays to test triple-drug combinations, although this requires a more complex experimental design.
What kind of compounds can you test?
We can test a wide range of compounds, including small molecules, natural product extracts, peptides, and traditional antifungal agents.
