The technology can cut costs by 90 per cent and work 20 times faster that standard Franz Cell technology, according to US-based Zyleris. These improvements are achieved by combining the Franz Cell principle with the high-throughput process.
Jerry Zhang, founder and CEO of Zyleris, said the technology offers the “speed associated with high-throughput technology” while retaining “result compatibility with industrial standard Franz Cell technology”.
This allows researchers to screen more candidate formulations, while keeping costs and time down, to ensure they have sufficient information to base go/no-go decisions on. Making correct decisions at this stage can help reduce attrition later in development, saving time and money.
The technology also offers higher detection sensitivity while using less skin membrane, according to Zyleris. Compared to standard Franz Cell technology detection sensitivity can be up to 20 times greater.
Zyleris believes this particularly beneficial when working with active ingredients with low permeability or therapeutic dose.
The system
Zyleris was founded in 2009 and the business is based on the high-throughput technology. Measuring 12x11”, the technology is a modular 108-cell high-throughput screening system offering variable diffusion area that corresponds to 5mm to 11.5mm of tissue membrane.
Chemical inertness is ensured by using glass and Teflon to construct the system. The technology also offers fast and easy sample collection, controlled mixing and stirring and is applicable to all dosage forms.
Zyleris currently operates 2,200 screening cells which can be used in 20 high-throughput screening stations. This capacity can be easily and immediately expanded.