Cytotoxicity tests for high-throughput drug discovery

Despite theoretical obstacles associated with performing cell-based assays in high-density formats (microplates with at least 384 wells), it is becomi ng clear that the pharmaceutical industry is now routinely running cell-bas ed tests in these formats. This work is revealing the weakness of establish ed cytotoxicity end points, specifically in relation to sensitivity and rep roducibility. New assay kits based on bioluminescent detection of ATP and A DP are now providing the answer to these problems.