Molecular Devices Launches IonWorks Barracuda® Plus System for Automated Electrophysiology

Molecular Devices®, market leader in the electrophysiology and biophysical research markets for over 30 years, announced today it has released the IonWorks Barracuda® Plus system, with enhancements to produce best in class wide assay windows with stable ionic currents. Wide, stable assay windows enable studies of drug binding for use-dependent compounds and can also help to reduce the cost of compound profiling.

The IonWorks Barracuda Plus system includes hardware and software enhancements that widen the assay time window for ion channel assays, enabling sophisticated protocols to probe the use-dependent nature of candidate compounds. Use-dependent drugs are sought after as they specifically target excitable cells that are exhibiting high levels of activity. Therapeutic research areas that seek out use-dependent drug candidates include pain, cardiac and neuroscience ion channel drug discovery groups.

The IonWorks Barracuda Plus system allows for complete dose response curves to be generated in single wells, thereby reducing running costs and increasing throughput. Unlimited compound additions can be made to wells in a 384-well PatchPlate™ generating up to 384 dose response curves in 30-45 minutes.

“We are pleased to offer our customers the ability to exploit wide assay windows to study ion channel drug candidates that were previously untenable,” commented Kevin Chance, President of Molecular Devices. “The reduction in running costs for compound profiling enabled by the wide assay windows will allow our customers to perform experiments with costs per data point previously unobtainable. This will mean scientists can drive their compound chemistry further along with the IonWorks Barracuda Plus system than with any other automated electrophysiology platform.”