At Creative Biolabs, we are your dedicated partner in the fight against invasive fungal infections. Specializing in echinocandin-based antifungal drug discovery and development, we provide comprehensive, integrated CRO services designed to accelerate your early-stage research, from target identification to preclinical proof-of-concept. Leverage our deep scientific expertise, state-of-the-art platforms, and flexible service models to bring your promising antifungal candidates to patients faster. Request a quote
The Urgent Need for Antifungal Innovation: Why Echinocandins Matter?
Acanthopeptide is a type of lipopeptide antifungal drug. Due to its bactericidal activity against Candida and antibacterial activity against Aspergillus, it plays an important role in the treatment of severe fungal infections. Their unique mechanism of action, targeting the fungal cell wall, offers a distinct advantage due to the absence of this structure in human cells, leading to a favorable safety profile. However, the journey from concept to clinic for new echinocandin derivatives is fraught with challenges, including overcoming emerging resistance mechanisms, improving pharmacokinetic profiles (e.g., oral bioavailability, extended half-life), and navigating complex regulatory landscapes.
Our Comprehensive Early-Stage Echinocandin Research Services
In Vitro Services
In Vivo Services
Target Identification & Validation
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Genomic & Proteomic Analysis: Identification of novel fungal-specific targets, including enzymes involved in fungal cell wall biosynthesis, particularly β-(1,3)-D-glucan synthesis.
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Target Prioritization & Validation: Using genetic and biochemical approaches to confirm the essentiality and druggability of identified targets.
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Phenotypic Screening Design: Development of customized cell-based assays to identify compounds that disrupt fungal growth or specific cellular processes.
Hit Identification & Lead Optimization
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High-Throughput Screening (HTS): Rapid screening of diverse compound libraries against your chosen targets or phenotypic assays to identify initial hits.
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Fragment-Based Drug Discovery (FBDD): An efficient approach to identify small, weakly binding fragments that can be grown or linked into potent lead compounds.
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Medicinal Chemistry & Rational Drug Design
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Design and synthesis of novel echinocandin analogs and other chemical scaffolds.
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Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) studies to optimize potency, selectivity, and physiochemical properties.
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Exploration of novel linker chemistries and modifications to improve bioavailability and reduce resistance mechanisms.
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Computational Chemistry
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Molecular docking, virtual screening, and molecular dynamics simulations to predict drug-target interactions and guide compound design.
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ADME/Tox prediction to identify potential liabilities early in the discovery process.
In Vitro Biology & Pharmacology
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Antifungal Susceptibility Testing (AST)
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MIC determination against a broad panel of clinically relevant fungal pathogens (e.g., Candida species, Aspergillus species, C. auris), including resistant strains.
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Time-Kill Assays: Evaluating fungicidal versus fungistatic activity.
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Fungal Biofilm Assays: Assessing efficacy against mature and developing fungal biofilms.
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Mechanism of Action (MOA) Studies: Detailed investigations into how your compounds exert their antifungal effects (e.g., glucan synthase inhibition assays, cell wall integrity assays).
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Combination Studies: Evaluation of synergistic or additive effects with existing antifungals or other agents to overcome resistance or broaden the spectrum.
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Cytotoxicity & Selectivity Assays: Early assessment of compound toxicity against human cell lines to determine therapeutic window.
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Early DMPK (Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics)
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In vitro metabolic stability.
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Plasma protein binding.
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Permeability and efflux transporter assays.
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Preliminary assessment of potential drug interactions.
Early-Stage In Vivo Pharmacology & Proof-of-Concept
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Infection Models
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Development and utilization of robust murine models for disseminated candidiasis, invasive aspergillosis, and other relevant fungal infections.
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Models for resistant strains and specialized infections.
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Efficacy Studies: Dose-response evaluations, survival studies, and fungal burden reduction in target organs.
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Pharmacokinetic (PK) Profiling: Characterization of drug exposure (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) in preclinical species.
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Pharmacodynamic (PD) Modeling: Establishing PK/PD relationships to guide optimal dosing regimens for future clinical development.
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Early Toxicology & Tolerability: Initial assessment of compound safety and tolerability in animal models.
Mechanism of Action (Why Echinocandins are Key)
Inhibition of β-(1,3)-D-Glucan Synthase
Echinocandins are non-competitive inhibitors of the enzyme β-(1,3)-D-glucan synthase, which is responsible for synthesizing β-(1,3)-D-glucan.
Disruption of the Fungal Cell Wall
β-(1,3)-D-glucan is a major structural component (up to 50-60%) of the cell wall in many fungi, including Candida and Aspergillus species. By inhibiting its synthesis, echinocandins severely compromise the integrity and rigidity of the fungal cell wall.
Osmotic Lysis and Cell Death
The weakened cell wall can no longer withstand the internal osmotic pressure of the fungal cell, leading to osmotic lysis and ultimately cell death. This fungicidal effect against Candida species is particularly valuable in clinical settings.
Selective Toxicity
Critically, β-(1,3)-D-glucan is absent in mammalian cells. This unique fungal-specific target accounts for the excellent safety profile of echinocandins, making them generally well-tolerated by patients with fewer side effects compared to other antifungal classes that may target components also present in human cells.
Target for Resistance
While generally well-tolerated, some fungal strains have developed resistance mechanisms, primarily through point mutations in the FKS1/FKS2 genes, which encode subunits of the β-(1,3)-D-glucan synthase enzyme, leading to reduced echinocandin susceptibility.
Why Partner with Creative Biolabs for Echinocandin Research?
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Echinocandin Expertise
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Integrated Solutions
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State-of-the-Art Platforms
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Accelerated Timelines
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Flexible Collaboration
Who We Serve: Our Target Customer Groups
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Biopharmaceutical Companies (Small to Mid-sized)
Companies with promising early-stage compounds or drug discovery programs require specialized expertise, advanced infrastructure, and integrated services to accelerate their pipeline without significant internal investment.
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Large Pharmaceutical Companies
R&D divisions looking to outsource specific, specialized early-stage research activities (e.g., high-throughput screening, novel in vivo model development, resistance mechanism studies) to optimize internal resources and timelines.
Emerging companies with innovative ideas or early-stage leads in the antifungal space need comprehensive scientific support, strategic guidance, and efficient execution to establish proof-of-concept and attract further investment.
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Academic Research Institutions & University Spin-offs
Researchers with groundbreaking discoveries who require professional drug development expertise and industry-standard preclinical validation to translate their scientific findings into viable drug candidates.
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Government & Non-Profit Organizations
Entities focused on addressing public health challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance, that fund or conduct research into novel antifungal therapies and require expert CRO services for their projects.
At Creative Biolabs, we believe in transparent and collaborative partnerships. Our dedicated project managers work closely with your team, providing regular updates, in-depth data analysis, and strategic insights at every stage of your project. We are committed to fostering open communication and adapting our services to your evolving needs, ensuring a truly synergistic relationship. Contact us today to discuss your echinocandin-based antifungal drug discovery and development needs and learn how we can help you bring life-saving therapies to market faster.
FAQs
What specific types of echinocandin research do you specialize in?
We specialize in early-stage research for novel echinocandin derivatives and related antifungal agents. This includes target identification and validation, hit identification and lead optimization, detailed in vitro antifungal biology (e.g., susceptibility testing, biofilm assays, MOA studies), early ADME/Tox, and preclinical in vivo proof-of-concept studies in relevant fungal infection models.
How can your services help overcome echinocandin resistance?
We offer services focused on understanding and overcoming resistance. This includes screening compounds against drug-resistant fungal strains (e.g., FKS mutants), investigating novel drug targets, exploring combination therapies, and designing compounds with improved binding characteristics to mutated enzymes.
Do you provide services for developing oral echinocandin formulations?
While our primary focus is on early-stage discovery and lead optimization, our medicinal chemistry and early DMPK services are crucial for designing and selecting compounds with improved oral bioavailability. We can evaluate physicochemical properties and in vitro permeability/efflux to identify candidates with potential for oral administration.
What fungal pathogens can you work with?
We routinely work with a broad spectrum of clinically relevant fungal pathogens, including various Candida species (e.g., C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. auris), Aspergillus species (A. fumigatus), and other opportunistic fungi. We also can work with resistant strains.
