Drug Sensitivity and Resistance Testing (DSRT)

Recently identified associations between variants of cancer genes and drug resistance have increased the value for comprehensive drug sensitivity screening in combination with molecular profiling of cancer cells. In cancer research, the information from drug sensitivity screening is often used to improve the precision of therapy offered to patients. This can involve treatment with re-purposed therapeutics, novel therapeutics or combinations of therapeutics. Comparison of drug sensitivity information along with the molecular profile of certain cancer cells can enable the identification of underlying genetic links to drug resistance.

As these programs are scaled up, operational costs to prepare samples and perform screening can become rate limiting, delaying treatment decisions. Researchers have found that miniaturization from the use of acoustic liquid handling instead of traditional methods has increased the overall efficiency of drug sensitivity screening by lowering costs while improving data quality and throughput. Echo Dose-Response software enables direct dilution and normalization of simple or complex concentration curves from a range of sample types. With direct dilution, Echo Liquid Handlers produce dose-response assays without the risk of carryover or contamination common to tip-based serial dilution methods.