Our Mission

To provide novel test platforms for a direct phenotypic evaluation of resistances to therapeutic intervention as a consequence of genetic instability in human diseases" Around the turn of the millennium an unforeseen wealth of genomic information became available through the various genome projects, boosting scientific efforts to utilize it for modern medicine. Soon, however, science discovered that the limits of biology, placing itself at the service of modern medicine, began to shift from the 'virtual world' of primarily accumulating and interpreting genetic information to the 'real world' of deciphering phenotypic manifestations. Scientists at InPheno recognized a great need for the development of potent phenotyping tools, which could contribute a "missing link" between genomics and clinics in the contexts of Molecular Diagnostics and Drug Discovery.

Our History

InPheno is a spin-off company from the Institute of Medical Microbiology at the University of Basel, Switzerland. It was founded by specialists in the fields of virology & molecular biology and by scientists with experience in the development of modern therapeutics in Pharmaceutical Industry.

Current Services

InPheno's concept was to design and build a unique molecular diagnostic platform termed PhenoTectTM. Three central 'tools' are available for our customers and accessible to our partner: PhenoTectTM (standard) and PhenoTectENVTM (for fusion inhibitors).

Its currently greatest role is to assist physicians in decision-making in the challenge of treating HIV-1 infection. This diagnostic platform is fully established and is running on a routine basis. It assesses susceptibility of HIV-1 to all available therapeutics in the context of Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART). A special feature of the PhenoTect^TM platform is that it is also directly amenable to interrogate any new drug without any prior genetic knowledge required. Moreover, the platform applies also to candidates in development, e.g. the novel HIV fusion-inhibitors (T-20 etc.), where no data base information is available to assist interpretation.

PhenoDB^TM

As a direct extension of the diagnostic platform PhenoTect^TM, InPheno has established the continuously expanding database PhenoDB^TM. This fully searchable tool is able to directly link genetic information to its corresponding clinically relevant phenotypic facts and can be utilized by our partners.

PhenoBase^TM

Parallel to the electronic database, InPheno developed another tool, "PhenoBase^TM", which is a rapidly growing repository of engineered viruses from their clinical contexts. As these viruses possess very specific, often unique, resistance patterns, this element can be provided to our partners as starting point for infection studies that are based on well characterized standardized materials.

The elements PhenoTect^TM, PhenoDB^TM, and PhenoBase^TM represent unique diagnostically relevant tools to address central resistance-issues in various settings. "Key Differential Potentials" are:

• Direct (phenoptypic) testing supports the treating physician and advises on therapy changes for PI, RTI and Env-inhibitors
• PhenoTect^TM precisely assigns novel mutations and complex mutation patterns of resistant HIV-1, essential e.g. in drug development and clinical phases II, III
• Independently of prior virus characterizations PhenoTect^TM defines a relevant "resistance factor" for each drug and associates it with clinical cut-offs fordrug function or failure
• For new drugs or -combinations PhenoDB^TM, and PhenoBase^TM enable to rapidly design and perform "retrospective clinical studies" on characterized samples with known treatment histories.

InPheno's portfolio addresses central aspects of modern AIDS management in clinical care as well as in drug discovery & development at research -preclinical- and clinical levels.

Thereby InPheno addresses multiple questions around AIDS care raised during drug development at research-,preclinical- and clinical stages.

By continuously building on the versatile technology platform PhenoTect^TM, InPheno is dedicated to expand through the development of new systems in other disease areas with pressing medical needs.

The flexible design of PhenoTectTM allows utilization of its building blocks in further applications and new disease areas to serve directly the patient as well as pharmaceutical research needs. InPheno focuses on new therapeutic areas, where treatment is closely linked with the emergence of therapy-threatening resistances based on the development of target-specific mutations.

Through a close link to the Institute of medical Microbiology, Basel, InPheno is in the privileged situation to have immediate access to academic advancements to be utilized for molecular diagnostics, for research & development, e.g. for drug-profiling activities.

Under development are targets in Virology (new drug targets for HIV, viral hepatitis), in Oncology (resistance to target-directed therapies), in Autoimmune Diseases a options in the context of Gene Therapy.