Welcome to NeuroProof

Clean room cell culture

Screening Services for the Pre-Clinical Development of Neuro-Pharmaceuticals

NeuroProof, as a contract research organization, is a global leader and preferred partner in microelectrode array (MEA)-based phenotypic screening of primary cultures and hiPSC-derived neuronal cultures. NeuroProof offers screening services and state-of-the-art mathematical expertise for the artificial intelligence-based analysis of test agents on neuronal network activity.

Our services include the cultivation of neuronal cultures on MEA chips, medium-throughput screening of test agents, high-quality recording of spontaneous and compound-induced network activity, state-of-the-art mathematical analyses, and sophisticated pattern recognition methods. NeuroProof is your partner for developing new in vitro disease models with its functional phenotypic screening technology.

Our Services

Neurotoxicity

NeuroProof has developed a broad range of in vitro tools to assess neurotoxicity. Utilizing our in vitro assays with primary neuronal cell cultures from mice, rats, and human iPSC-derived cell cultures, we offer precise assays to evaluate specific neurotoxic threats.

Disease Models

Functional and phenotypic screening has enormous importance in CNS drug discovery. NeuroProof offers in vitro disease models which incorporate the advantages of the phenotypic screening approach. In vitro CNS disease models contain complex neuronal cell cultures and are a real alternative to animal models in the early phases of drug development and compound profiling.

Functional Phenotypic Screening

Phenotypic screening is the most successful screening approach in CNS drug discovery. All definitions of phenotypic screening refer to a physiological read-out as a phenotype of a complex cell system in vitro or in vivo. Phenotypes described by the electrophysiological activity of neuronal networks are ideal for phenotypic screening since they incorporate the natural physiological function of the brain.

Neuronal Maturation

MEA neurochips are a valuable tool for detecting compound effects on neuronal maturation. Using the MEA-neurochip technology, we can directly monitor and characterize the maturation of primary mouse or human iPSC-derived network activity in electrically active neuronal networks.

Target validation

We have demonstrated, in many examples a receptor validation with standard pharmacology methods. For this, we pretreat cultures with a confirmed antagonist of a specific receptor and test a compound in an MEA experiment if this pretreatment neutralizes the compound effect.

Molecular Biology

In combination with our MEA analysis or as a stand-alone service we provide a complete report for toxicity profiling and safety screening including information about acute or chronic cell viability, and cytotoxicity.

Disease models

Neuropathic Pain In-Vitro Model

Neuropathic pain is caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. Prevalence of neuropathic pain is from 3% to 17% of population. Neuropathic pain impacts negatively patients’ life and their social environment. Mood disorders, depression, and anxiety are common consequences. A special form of neuropathic pain is trigeminal pain.

Schizophrenia Models

Schizophrenia, a complex disorder affecting 1% of the population, presents challenges in treatment, particularly in addressing negative symptoms and cognitive impairments together. We have developed an assay that mimics immunological and neurodevelopmental aspects of schizophrenia. This electrophysiological assay corresponds with electrophysiological data from schizophrenic patients.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a fatal, late-onset disease with severe diagnosis and no cure today. ALS targets motor neurons, causing their loss and eventually, the damage of motor function muscle movement. ALS occurs as bulbar or spinal ALS.

ALS Imaging Assays

NeuroProof Systems GmbH offers high-content screening assays with automated microscopy for the phenotypic screening of new ALS therapeutics. We deliver quantitative analyses of morphological biomarkers relevant to ALS. Based on its broad MEA experience with human iPSC-derived cell lines, NeuroProof Systems GmbH develops optimal imaging assays.

ALS Cell Models

NeuroProof has developed, optimized, and characterized  with its partner BrainXell human iPSC-derived spinal motor neuron cultures and co-cultures with astrocytes and microglia.

ALS Hyperexcitation Model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a fatal, late-onset disease with severe diagnosis and no cure today. ALS targets motor neurons, causing their loss and eventually, the damage of motor function muscle movement. ALS occurs as bulbar or spinal ALS.

ALS Biomarker Assays

We translate ALS research into standalone or supplementary biomarkers for your screening projects.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy, a prevalent neurological disorder, manifests as recurrent unprovoked seizures across various syndromes. Despite advancements in antiepileptic drugs, a significant proportion of patients remain unresponsive to current treatments, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic avenues,

Epilepsy Developmental Model

Unlock the potential of groundbreaking research with NeuroProof's innovative in vitro screening assay tailored for investigating the effects of novel antiepileptic compounds.

Glutamate Excitotoxicity Assay

Overactivation of glutamate receptors is a fundamental mechanism in neurodegenerative diseases it impairs cellular calcium homeostasis, activates nitric oxide synthesis and generation of free radicals causing programmed cell death.

SCN1A – Dravet Syndrome Assay

Loss of function of the SCN1A gene is the cause of Dravet syndrome, a catastrophic form of epilepsy.

4-AP – Epilepsy Assay

The Potassium K+ channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) induces epileptiform activity in in vitro preparations and is a potent convulsant in animals and man, Our 4-AP model is a versatile model for Epilepsy.

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is caused by a specific loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra/midbrain and the resulting lack of neuronal signals into the striatum, which leads to motor and cognitive dysfunctions. Parkinson’s disease etiology is only partially understood. Disease models cover a wide range of approaches by using Parkinsonism-provoking agents such as MPP+, Rhotenon, or 6-OHDA or modeling this neurodegenerative disease with suspected disease-relevant proteins such as alpha-synuclein filaments. 

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is caused by soluble beta amyloid, Abeta, aggregates/oligomers leading to neuro-degeneration and cognitive impairment which is one of the major hallmarks in AD.

Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X syndrome is the most common form of inherited cognitive disability. FXS patients also show symptoms that belong to the autism spectrum disorder symptoms. FXS is a neuro-developmental disease with about a prevalence of 1:5000 in males and 1:8000 in females.

News

NeuroProof and BrainXell at the ALS Drug Development Summit in Boston

NeuroProof and BrainXell at the ALS Drug Development Summit in Boston May 21-23, 2024
Developing new ALS therapies is challenging, as the clinical study results of the last months demonstrate.
Assays with a strong predictive capacity need rigorous validation. These assays should correspond with clinical symptoms, be constructed at best with patient's material, and should be validated with many compounds.

New Epilepsy and Glutamate Excitotoxicity Assay

April 2024: NeuroProof Systems GmbH Unveils New Assays for Epilepsy and Glutamate Excitotoxicity.

TDP-43 Proteins in Axons of C9orf72 Mutations are Validating iPSC-Derived Motor Neurons as a Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

ALS models based on human iPSC-derived spinal motor neurons with disease-relevant mutations have the potential to help develop new urgently needed ALS therapies the more they are well-validated.

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