Our Platform

Yeast Cells

Perfect for rapid scaling

The yeast cell is the ‘Nanobot’ – no science fiction necessary

Genetically-modified yeast cells are easy to utilize, adaptable, and cost-efficient to produce.

Lumacell leverages modified yeast cells which can express human GPCRs of diagnostic interest.  Upon ligand binding and activation of the G-alpha pathway, the cells produce a fluorescent signal. These cells are based upon commercial use yeast and therefore can be industrially scaled and deployed in a multi-well plate.

We have designed a template cell which allows us to rapidly swap out receptor constructs,
and utilize machine learning to predict mutations which enable the expression of a target human drug receptor into the host cell. With our system we can optimize systems to detect ligands of any of the known and sequenced human GPCRs, and our library of sensors is constantly expanding. Each new successful biosensor is used to train the system, making it easier and quicker to develop the next assays.

Extremely low cost and durable

Dried, packaged, shipped, and stored just like bakers yeast.

Built to grow with demand

One liter of our biosensing yeast produces between 50k – 100k tests.

Unprecedented flexibility in contextual application

Deploy in high throughput lab or field device.

Enabling high specificity and relevance

Biased agonism for highly specific and physiologically relevant 
results.

Lumacell Applied

The Huge Potential of GPCRs

The Lumacell Biosensor Platform

Using the incredible flexibility of GPCRs to revolutionize health data

  • GPCRs are the broadest and most important target class for pharmaceuticals representing a third of all prescriptions sold today
    • 481 drugs acting at 107 distinct GPCR targets
    • 321 agents targeting GPCRs are in clinical testing, 66 of which act upon orphan targets
    • Over 600 GPCRs remain untargetted by therapy
  • The majority of pathologies treated by GPCR are neurological/pyschiatric, metabolic and inflammatory/inflammation
  • They are the primary means by which the body talks to itself

Red indicates an established target. Green indicates trial targets, with later-stage trials showing darker green. Click the image to open a larger view.

Uniquely personal­ized data

Possible with multiplexed assays

AI-Enabled Analytics of Patient Data

Mapping the relationship between endogenous biomarkers and pharmacologic agents.

Our machine generated sensors serve as inputs for AI enabled analysis of patient samples. Lumacell has extensive IP coverage on utilizing multiple receptors in a given therapeutic class to provide richer datasets on the biological activity of a therapeutic, and how it is affecting endogenous signals. With this system physicians will be able to more accurate identify disease state, optimize treatment selection and dose according to a patient’s specific therapeutic window.

Publica­tions

Publications

Lumacell’s IP-protected technology is widely supported by peer-reviewed science.

Lumacell will revolutionize the way we optimize our health by giving us previously unobtainable insights into our individual biochemistry and neurochemistry.

A Humanized CB1R Yeast Biosensor Enables Facile Screening of Cannabinoid Compounds

Abstract

Yeast expression of human G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) can be used as a biosensor platform for the detection of pharmaceuticals. Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) is of particular interest, given the cornucopia of natural and synthetic cannabinoids being explored as therapeutics. We show for the first time that engineering the N-terminus of CB1R allows for efficient signal transduction in yeast, and that engineering the sterol composition of the yeast membrane modulates its performance. Using an engineered cannabinoid biosensor, we demonstrate that large libraries of synthetic cannabinoids and terpenes can be quickly screened to elucidate known and novel structure–activity relationships. The biosensor strains offer a ready platform for evaluating the activity of new synthetic cannabinoids, monitoring drugs of abuse, and developing therapeutic molecules.

Functional expression of opioid receptors and other human GPCRs in yeast engineered to produce human sterols

Abstract

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is powerful for studying human G protein-coupled receptors as they can be coupled to its mating pathway. However, some receptors, including the mu opioid receptor, are non-functional, which may be due to the presence of the fungal sterol ergosterol instead of cholesterol. Here we engineer yeast to produce cholesterol and introduce diverse mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors to create sensitive opioid biosensors that recapitulate agonist binding profiles and antagonist inhibition. Additionally, human mu opioid receptor variants, including those with clinical relevance, largely display expected phenotypes. By testing mu opioid receptor-based biosensors with systematically adjusted cholesterol biosynthetic intermediates, we relate sterol profiles to biosensor sensitivity. Finally, we apply sterol-modified backgrounds to other human receptors revealing sterol influence in SSTR5, 5-HTR4, FPR1, and NPY1R signaling. This work provides a platform for generating human G protein-coupled receptor-based biosensors, facilitating receptor deorphanization and high-throughput screening of receptors and effectors.

Levels of circulating semaglutide determine reductions in HbA1c and body weight in people with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) are used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Whether clinically important responses and adverse events (AEs) are dependent on the route of administration has not been determined. We demonstrate that nearly identical exposure-response pharmacodynamic relationships are determined by plasma semaglutide levels achieved through oral versus injectable administration for changes in HbA1c, body weight, biomarkers of cardiovascular risk, and AEs such as nausea and vomiting. At typical exposure levels for oral semaglutide, the estimated response is 1.58% (oral) versus −1.62% (subcutaneous) for HbA1c and 3.77% (oral) versus 3.48% (subcutaneous) reduction in body weight relative to baseline after 6 months. Increased body weight is the most important variable associated with reduced semaglutide exposure for both formulations. Hence, interindividual variation in GLP-1R responsivity or route of administration are not major determinants of GLP-1RA effectiveness in the clinic.

Contact Us

Let’s discuss how your efforts can gain unprecedented physiological insights from single-molecule sensors.