Biophysics

close collaboration • rapid delivery • flexible solutions • deep expertise

The Domainex biophysics group provides state‑of‑the‑art, modality‑agnostic, biophysical technologies to accelerate and de‑risk your drug discovery program

Our platform supports hit identification, hit validation, and full mechanistic characterization across small‑molecule and biotherapeutic modalities

Deep biophysics expertise, gained from decades of applying advanced biophysical techniques to discovery projects across multiple target classes and modalities
Fully integrated environment, with shared laboratories alongside protein science, structural biology, biochemistry, and cell biology for seamless workflows and rapid problem‑solving
Local bioanalytical and chemistry functions, enabling fast turnaround and multidisciplinary collaboration
Flexible and customized solutions to meet your scientific objectives, timelines, and budget

Our biophysics team has experience of applying biophysical techniques across multiple stages of discovery and a wide range of target classes:

Biophysical Applications Experience:

Determination of the binding affinity and kinetics across a range of modalities from small to large molecules (e.g. antibodies, nanobodies, PPI, peptides, small molecules, bivalent ligands, molecular glues, RNA/DNA)
Small molecules: Fragment-Based Drug Discovery (FBDD; in-house Fragment Builder, or external fragment libraries), virtual screening (LeadBuilder), library screening, hit confirmation and SAR support
Biotherapeutics: Protein QC, protein aggregation, thermal stability, protein oligomerization and early developability assessment
Mechanism-of-Action (MoA) studies
Ternary complex formation for bivalent ligands & molecular glues Epitope binning, bi-specifics, off-rate ranking and Fc receptor screening
Compatibility with Direct-to-Biology (D2B) approaches (crude reaction mixtures), off-rate screening and complex matrices (e.g. plasma, cell lysates)
Experience across a diverse range of target classes (e.g. membrane proteins, RNA, enzymes, E3 ligases & multi-protein complexes)

Summary of Biophysical Capabilities at Domainex

Technique	Output	Advantages	Fragment Screening	Library Screening	Orthogonal Hit Confirmation	Mechanism-of-Action (MoA)	Selectivity Profiling
Grating Coupled Interferometry (GCI/SPR)	• Binding affinity (K_D) • Kinetics (k_on, k_off) • Target specificity	• High sensitivity • Low sample use • Compatible with complex samples	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Spectral Shift & TRIC	• Binding affinity (K_D)	• Solution-based • Low sample use • Medium-high throughput • Short assay development time	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST)	• Binding affinity (K_D)	• Solution-based • Low sample use • Short assay development time	(✓)	(✓)	✓	✓	✓
Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC)	• Binding affinity (K_D) • Thermodynamics (DG, DH, DS) • Stoichiometry	• Label-free • Full thermodynamic profiling • Solution-based			✓	✓	✓
Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (DSF)	• Melting temperature (Tm)	• Fast • Medium-high throughput	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
NanoDSF	• Melting temperature (Tm) • Aggregation determination	• Label-free • No assay development • Detergent compatible		(✓)	✓	✓	✓

FAQs

1. Can you support integrated drug discovery programmes?

Yes. Our biophysics team works seamlessly with our internal medicinal chemistry, structural biology, computational chemistry, and screening groups. This integrated model ensures that biophysical insights directly inform hit identification, hit‑to‑lead progression, and lead optimisation.

2. Does Domainex do SPR?

Domainex offers GCI, which is analogous to Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). In both techniques, the target protein is immobilised onto specialised sensor chips and the passage of analytes over the chip surface are monitored as time-dependent changes in refractive index, which can indicate bi-molecular interactions.

3. How do I know which biophysical method is best for my project?

Our scientists review your target, modality, and project goals to recommend the most informative and cost‑effective methods. We regularly design bespoke workflows—selecting the right technique or combination of techniques to answer your specific biological questions.

4. Can you work with challenging targets or complex samples?

Yes. Our team has extensive experience with difficult proteins, low‑affinity binders, membrane‑associated targets, multi‑domain constructs, fragments, and chemically diverse small molecules. We also provide support for assay development, buffer optimisation, and protein engineering to ensure high‑quality data.

5. Do you offer high‑throughput or rapid‑turnaround biophysics?

Absolutely. We provide rapid screening for early triage, hit validation, and fragment expansion. For time‑critical projects, we offer accelerated timelines while maintaining data robustness and scientific integrity.

6. What data outputs will I receive?

You receive a comprehensive, decision‑ready data package that typically includes:

Raw data files
Curated, analysed datasets
Binding curves, kinetic fits, and thermodynamic summaries
Clear interpretation and biological context
Recommendations for next steps

7. How do you ensure data quality and reproducibility?

Quality is built into every step - from protein production and assay design through to analysis and peer review. We follow stringent QC criteria, use orthogonal approaches when appropriate, and provide transparent reporting to ensure high confidence in results.

8. How do I start a project or discuss feasibility?

Simply contact us with your target and objectives. Our scientists will arrange a consultation to discuss project scope, feasibility, timelines, and recommended methods - ensuring a smooth and collaborative project launch.

Case studies

G9a: A fragment-based drug design (FBDD) programme to identify lysine methyltransferase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer

Domainex identified several highly efficient fragment hits and after one round of elaboration a 10-fold increase in affinity was achieved. View more