MegaTox for analyzing and visualizing data across different screening systems

NIH RePORTER · NIH · R43 · $124,915 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

Project Summary Computational toxicology aims to use rules, models and algorithms based on prior data for specific endpoints, to enable the prediction of whether a new molecule will possess similar liabilities or not. Our recent efforts have used sources like PubChem and ChEMBL to build predictive models for different toxicity-related and drug discovery endpoints. Our Phase I SBIR proposal called MegaTox will provide toxicity machine learning models developed with different algorithms for 40-50 in vitro and in vivo toxicity datasets. We propose using this technology to generate machine learning models for predicting potential compounds against either TGF- a target for countering chlorine induced lung inflammation as well as the adenosine A1 receptor to identify agonists as potential anticonvulsants. In addition, we can also compile molecules that can reactivate acetylcholinesterase which would enable the potential to discover medical countermeasures to address nerve agent and pesticide poisoning. We will access multiple machine learning approaches and validate these Bayesian or other machine learning models (including Linear Logistic Regression, AdaBoost Decision Tree, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine and deep neural networks (DNN) of varying depth) with our own in-house technology for these selected targets. We will aim for ROC values greater than 0.75 and MCC and F1 scores that are acceptable (>0.3). These models will be used to virtually screen FDA approved drugs, clinical candidates, commercially available drugs or other molecules. We will select up to 50 molecules to be tested using in vitro assays alongside controls for each target. These combined efforts should in the first instance provide commercially viable treatments which will be used to experimentally validate our computational models that can be shared with the medical countermeasures scientific community. In summary, we are proposing to build and validate models for targets based on public databases, select compounds for testing, create proprietary data and use this as a starting point for further optimization of compounds if needed. Our goal is to identify at least one promising compound for each target that we then pursue and protect our IP. We will pursue additional grant funding to take these medical countermeasures through additional in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies. Ultimately, we will license our products to larger companies for development prior to clinical trials.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10094026
Project number
3R43ES031038-01S1
Recipient
COLLABORATIONS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Principal Investigator
SEAN EKINS
Activity code
R43
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2020
Award amount
$124,915
Award type
3
Project period
2020-08-05 → 2022-08-31