Ace Therapeutics assesses and predicts the cardiotoxicity of antipsychotic drugs through model simulations, in vitro screening, and animal studies, thereby reducing the risk of cardiotoxicity.

The Importance of Cardiotoxicity Analysis of Antipsychotic Drugs

Cardiotoxicity caused by antipsychotic drugs is one of the most life-threatening adverse reactions that has caused widespread concern. These drugs may cause cardiotoxic effects such as arrhythmias, heart failure, myocarditis, ischemic injury, and unexplained cardiac lesions. The cardiotoxicity caused by antipsychotic drugs is sometimes even life-threatening, thus limiting their clinical use. Therefore, it is important to analyze the cardiotoxicity of antipsychotic drugs, which can help researchers to better estimate the risk of adverse cardiac effects of drugs.

Fig. 1 Summary of clinical manifestations of antipsychotic cardiotoxicity. (Li XQ, et al., 2021)

Cardiotoxicity Analysis Services

• Analysis of damage to cardiac mitochondria from antipsychotic drugs

Antipsychotic drug-induced functional or structural alterations in cardiac mitochondria may lead to myocarditis and cardiomyopathy through multiple pathways. We can detect cardiac mitochondrial damage by antipsychotic drugs by analyzing the activation of cardiac tissue-specific microsomal CYP or soluble oxidase/peroxidase.

• Analysis of the accumulation of antipsychotic drugs in lysosomes

Lysosomes are important acidic compartments for digestion and phagocytosis during the metabolism of antipsychotic drugs. We detect the cardiotoxicity of drugs by analyzing their accumulation in cardiac lysosomes. Depending on the chemical nature of different drugs and drug metabolism pathways we will customize a detailed protocol for specific analysis.

• Analysis of the effects of antipsychotic drugs on ion channels

Using various methods such as the Patch-clamp technique, cell function assays, and photobiological techniques, we can synthesize the effects of antipsychotic drugs on cardiac ion channels (e.g., potassium channels) and examine their effects on lethal arrhythmias such as QT interval prolongation and TdP.

• Analysis of the affinity of antipsychotic drugs for adrenergic receptors

Adrenergic receptors are involved in the cardiotoxicity of antipsychotic drugs. We can analyze the affinity of antipsychotic drugs for adrenergic receptors by radioligand competitive binding assay, competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and cytofluorimetry to assess the cardiotoxicity of antipsychotic drugs.

• Analysis of other molecular mechanisms

We can analyze the cardiological basis as well as intracellular mechanisms of antipsychotic drug-induced cardiotoxicity by integrating proteomic and transcriptomic approaches.

Why Choose Us?

The development process of anti-psychotic drugs is long and costly, and cardiotoxicity issues can lead to failed or delayed development. Our drug cardiotoxicity analysis service can help you understand the mechanism, site of action and degree of impact of drugs that produce cardiotoxicity, improve the efficiency and accuracy of drug development, reduce the time and money wasted in the development process, and provide more security for your research and development.

Ace Therapeutics has many years of research experience in the field of antipsychotic drug development, and we are committed to combining multiple technologies and approaches to perform comprehensive analyses of the cardiotoxicity of antipsychotic drugs. If you are interested in this service, please make an inquiry to learn how we can support you in your project.

Reference

1. Li XQ, Tang XR, Li LL. Antipsychotics cardiotoxicity: What's known and what's next. World J Psychiatry. 2021, 11(10):736-753.