Biologic Drug Discovery

Advancing Canine Cancer Immunotherapy through One Health Comparative Oncology Research

Posted on by Promega

The Case for Canine Immunotherapy

Cancer does not respect species boundaries. Each year more than four million dogs are diagnosed with cancer (1), making it the leading disease related cause of death in the canine population. Osteosarcoma, lymphoma, mast cell tumors and mammary carcinomas are among the most prevalent (1). In many cases, these tumors in dogs bear striking biological and molecular similarities to their human counterparts.

This convergence is the foundation of the Comparative Oncology (2) framework and One Health Initiatives. Companion pets, like dogs and cats, share our environments, our lifestyles and increasingly our therapeutic challenges. When research advances in veterinary oncology, it can open windows into human disease as well.

Comparative oncology integrates the advances and research of veterinary science. Dog and cat against a background of antibodies.
Comparative oncology integrates the advances and research of veterinary science, especially those of companion animals like dogs and cats, into more general oncology research, advancing the entire field of oncology.

What Veterinary Checkpoint Immunotherapy Brings to Comparative Oncology

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Screening Disease-Relevant Biology: How the Endo-GeneScreen Platform Uses Endogenous Protein Detection to Drive Drug Discovery 

Posted on by Amy Landreman

Drug discovery has long grappled with a fundamental tension in high-throughput screening: the more biologically relevant your model, the harder it is to scale. Phenotypic assays in primary disease-relevant cells offer rich biological context, but capturing meaningful, target-specific readouts from these complex systems at screening scale has remained a significant challenge.  In contrast, simpler, more scalable systems are easier to deploy but sacrifice the biological fidelity that makes hits meaningful. A recent study by Samowitz et al. in Nature Communications describes an interesting approach to resolve this tension, the Endo-GeneScreen (EGS) platform. A high-throughput screening system designed to enable scalable detection of endogenous protein levels within disease-modeling cellular contexts. 

A Well-Chosen Proof of Concept 

The authors selected Syngap1 as their proof-of-concept target to develop and demonstrate this approach. De novo mutations in this gene that lead to haploinsufficiency are among the most common genetic causes of sporadic neurodevelopmental disorders, including intellectual disability, autism, and epilepsy. Small molecules that boost SynGAP protein levels back toward wildtype would address the root cause of these disorders rather than managing downstream symptoms. Importantly, Syngap1 function is closely tied to cortical excitatory neurons. Well-validated in vitro and in vivo models for these neurons already exist, creating an integrated system for both discovering new compounds and validating them in the same biological context. That continuity is an important step toward improving the translational relevance of lead molecules coming out of the screen. 

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Trends and Tools Transforming Drug Discovery: Five Takeaways from Discover Glo 2025

Posted on by Meghan Rollins

In biologics, cell therapy, and targeted protein degradation, the science is moving fast—and so are the tools. From GPCR-targeted therapies to real-time CAR-T manufacturing tools, new techniques are reshaping how scientists approach drug development, live-cell imaging, and protein degradation.

The “Bringing Light to Science” Discover Glo 2025 speaker series brought together researchers from across academia and industry to share real-world examples of how bioluminescent technologies are helping them advance their research. Now available on demand, these sessions offer fresh perspectives and actionable takeaways on the future of therapeutic development, cellular analysis and assay design.

We’ve distilled five key takeaways from the sessions—practical insights you can apply to your own work or use to stay current with where the field is heading.

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Promega Fc Effector Assays: Measure Every Mechanism

Posted on by Promega

This post is written by Kai Hillman, PhD, Promega Corporation.

Every day, scientists push the boundaries of what’s possible with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)—from targeting cancer cells to calming autoimmune-driven inflammation. These therapies rely not only on binding but on engineering the desired immune response. The suite of Promega Fc Effector Assays helps you understand these interactions from receptor binding and function, through bridging studies. With consistency, sensitivity, and scalability, these assays support teams from early discovery through lot release.

This article draws on real-world publications and product insights to show how Promega assays are powering next-generation immunotherapies—and redefining how we measure immune engagement.

Schematic diagramming the suite of Promega Fc effector assays in one seamless workflow to support antibody development across the pipeline.
Figure 1. Promega delivers the most comprehensive suite of Fc effector assays in one seamless workflow to support antibody development across the pipeline.
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Cellular Selectivity Profiling: Unveiling Novel Interactions and More Accurate Compound Specificity

Posted on by Promega

This blog was written by guest contributor Tian Yang, Associate Product Manager, Promega, in collaboration with Kristin Huwiler, Manager, Small Molecule Drug Discovery, Promega.

Determining the selectivity of a compound is critical during chemical probe or drug development. In the case of chemical probes, having a clearly defined mechanism of action and specific on-target activity are needed for a chemical probe to be useful in delineating the function of a biological target of interest in cells. Similarly, optimizing a drug candidate for on-target potency and reducing off-target interactions is important in the drug development process (1,2). A thorough understanding of the selectivity profile of a drug can facilitate drug repurposing, by enabling approved therapeutics to be applied to new indications (3). Interestingly, small molecule drugs do not necessarily require the same selectivity as a chemical probe, since some drugs may benefit from polypharmacology to achieve their desired clinical outcome.

Selectivity profiling panels based on biochemical methods have commonly been used to assess compound specificity for established target classes in drug discovery and chemical probe development. Biochemical assays are target-specific and often quantitative, enabling direct measurements of compound affinities for targets of interest and facilitate comparison of compound engagement to a panel of targets. As an example, several providers offer kinase selectivity profiling services using different assay formats and kinase panels comprised of 100 to 400 kinases (4). However, just as biochemical target engagement does not always translate to cellular activity, selectivity profiles based on biochemical platforms may not reflect compound selectivity in live cells (5).

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Targeting Epigenetic Regulators in Cancer: The Promise of BET and HDAC Inhibitors

Posted on by Promega

This blog was written in collaboration with Tian Yang, Associate Product Manager at Promega.

Cancer is often driven not only by genetic mutations, but by changes in how genes are turned on or off—epigenetic alterations. Two key players in this space are bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) proteins and histone deacetylases (HDACs).

BET proteins help activate gene expression by recognizing acetylated lysines on histones, while HDACs remove these acetyl groups, repressing transcription. When these mechanisms become dysregulated, they can promote tumor growth or silence tumor suppressors.

To counteract this dysregulation, researchers have developed inhibitors that target BET proteins and HDACs. While combinations of these drugs have shown synergy, using two separate compounds introduces challenges with dosing, toxicity and pharmacokinetics. Recent efforts have focused on designing multitarget inhibitors—single molecules that can simultaneously block BET and HDAC activity.

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Cracking the Undruggable Code: Top 10 Key Takeaways

Posted on by Sara Millevolte

For decades, the concept of “undruggable” targets has presented one of the most significant challenges in drug discovery. At our recent virtual event, Illuminating New Frontiers: Cracking the Undruggable Code, leading researchers and industry experts gathered to showcase cutting-edge technologies and fresh perspectives that are expanding the boundaries of therapeutic development. Over three engaging days, participants explored groundbreaking advances in targeting RAS signaling, leveraging protein degradation and induced proximity strategies, and exploring RNA as a therapeutic target.

Target engagement of RAF dimer inhibitor LXH254 at RAF kinases, in complex with KRAS (blue). RAF inhibitor LXH254 engages BRAF or CRAF protomers (orange), but spares ARAF (red). Unoccupied ARAF is competent trigger downstream mitogenic signaling (lightning bolts). Red cells in the background are fluorescently labeled RAS proteins, expressed in live cells.
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The Role of Bioassays in Testing New Therapeutics for Canine Cancer

Posted on by Promega
Immunoassays are bringing new hope to the treatment of canine cancer.

Every dog owner fears the day they might hear the word “cancer” from their vet. This devastating disease affects not only humans but our canine companions as well. Veterinary scientists and clinicians are now employing the same methods as researchers studying human cancer, bringing the tools of personalized cancer treatment and drug research and development to bear on canine cancer, and in the not-too-distant future the treatment for a dog’s cancer may become as personalized as the bond they share with their owner.

Developing and testing new drugs and therapies is crucial to improving cancer treatments for canines. One of the most powerful tools in the drug development toolbox is the bioassay. Bioassays enable scientists to measure the biological activity of a potential treatment compound to determine if it might be effective as a therapeutic agent. For researchers focused on advancing canine cancer therapies, bioassays are indispensable. They offer precise insights into how new drugs interact with cancer cells and the immune system.

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Tardigrade Proteins Might Solve the Cold Chain Problem for Biologics

Posted on by Kelly Grooms
image depicting a microscopic tardigrade

Some of our most advanced medicines today rely on components derived from living organisms. These therapeutics, called biologics, include things like vaccines, blood products like Human Blood Clotting Factor VIII (FVIII), antibodies and stem cells. Biologics are incredibly temperature sensitive, which means they need to be kept cold during production, transport and storage, a process collectively called the cold chain. The stringent transport and storage temperature requirements for biologics create a barrier to accessing these lifesaving options; particularly for those in remote or underdeveloped regions, where maintaining a cold chain is logistically difficult and costly.

But what if we could break the cold chain? Inspired by one of the most resilient creatures on Earth – the tardigrade – scientists at the University of Wyoming are exploring ways to do just that.

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Understanding the Promise of Immunotherapy in Veterinary Medicine

Posted on by Promega

Immunotherapy in veterinary medicine is a rapidly evolving field that leverages the immune system to fight diseases. These therapies are particularly effective in treating various cancers, including lymphomas, mast cell tumors, melanomas, and osteosarcomas. Beyond cancer, immunotherapies are also being explored for their potential in managing chronic inflammatory diseases, such as autoimmune disorders where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. While traditionally, veterinary treatments have focused on surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, the advent of immunotherapy offers a more targeted approach, particularly for conditions like cancer.  

This targeted approach not only minimizes collateral damage to healthy tissues but also offers the potential for longer-lasting protection by training the immune system to recognize and fight off recurrence of the disease. The interest in immunotherapies has grown in tandem with advancements in human oncology, leading to a crossover of technologies and methodologies into veterinary applications. 

How Does Immunotherapy Work?

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