Advances of droplet-based microfluidics in drug discovery. (2nd August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Yuetong; Chen, Zhuoyue; Bian, Feika; Shang, Luoran; Zhu, Kaixuan; Zhao, Yuanjin
• Is Part Of: Expert opinion on drug discovery. Volume 15:Number 8(2020)
• Page Start: 969
• Page End: 979
• Publication Date: 2020-08-02
• Subjects: Droplet-based microfluidics -- drug discovery -- lead identification -- preclinical studies -- target selection; 615.1
• DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1758663
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1746-0441

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Introduction: Drug discovery through a large number of candidates with nearly unlimited possibilities is laborious, time-consuming, and incurs massive costs. It thus calls for fast and robust methods that allow for handling small amounts of reagents, automation, and high-throughput analysis. In this regard, droplet-based microfluidic platforms provide several unique advantages. Highly monodispersed droplets can be generated in a high frequency and serve as microcontainers with just a few femtoliter to nanoliter volume. Furthermore, each of them can be manipulated to initiate specific reactions in parallel. Consequently, droplet microfluidics is emerging as a useful tool for drug discovery and development. Areas covered: The authors provide a brief overview of the latest developments of droplet-based microfluidic techniques for drug discovery and emphasize their applications at different stages, covering target selection, drug candidate identification, and preclinical research. Expert opinion: Droplet-based microfluidics holds great potential in drug discovery due to its capability of reaction miniaturization and high-throughput analysis. However, its commercial applications are still at an early stage as the experiments are mostly implemented utilizing custom-built instruments in laboratory environments. Thus, joint efforts from scientists and engineers with multidisciplinary backgrounds are required to optimize the standardization and stability of droplet-based microfluidic platforms.