Affinity Selection Mass Spectrometry

Identify binders to virtually any target

Affinity selection mass spectrometry (also known as ASMS) is a powerful screening methodology to identify small molecule binders to diverse targets, including proteins and oligonucleotides such as RNA. ASMS powered by polymeric enrichment arrays (PEAs) is distinct from other surface-based approaches, with more flexibility, accuracy and is optimized to deliver drug discovery solutions for any target, with unique opportunities for molecular glue screening, proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) screening, and other chemical inducers of proximity.

Traditional ASMS approaches require cumbersome and time-consuming processes to isolate the small molecule-target complex, often through size exclusion chromatography or centrifugation. This is followed by a second chromatography step to dissociate the small molecule from the target and finally analysis by mass spectrometry. To increase throughput, researchers often compress libraries with hundreds of compounds per reaction. This strategy limits the identification of weak binders and opens opportunities for false positives due to compound misbehavior.

Peapod Bio’s innovative ASMS approach powered by PEAs offers solutions including the fastest ASMS workflow and minimal library compression to minimize compound misbehavior (10 compounds per reaction), enabling opportunities to identify weaker binders to initiate hit finding for the most challenging protein targets and in RNA binding assays.