Magnetic separation technology, using magnetic particles, is quick and easy method for sensitive and reliable capture of specific proteins, genetic material and other biomolecules. The technique offers an advantage in terms of subjecting the analyte to very little mechanical stress compared to other methods. Secondly, these methods are non-laborious, cheap and often highly scalable. Moreover, techniques employing magnetism are more amenable to automation and miniaturization. Now that the human genome is sequenced and about 30,000 genes are annotated, the next step is to identify the function of these individual genes, carrying out genotyping studies for allelic variation and SNP analysis, ultimately leading to identification of novel drug targets. In this post-genomic era, technologies based on magnetic separation are becoming an integral part of todays biology laboratory. This article briefly reviews the selected applications of magnetic separation techniques in the field of biotechnology, biomedicine and drug discovery.

Magnetic fluids or ferrofluids as they are often called mainly consist of nano sized iron oxide particles (Fe3O4 or γ-Fe2O3) that are suspended in carrier liquid. In recent years, substantial progress has been made in developing technologies in the field of magnetic microspheres, magnetic nanospheres and ferrofluids. Techniques based on using of these biocompatible magnetizable complex systems have found application in numerous biological fields viz. diagnostics, drug targeting, molecular biology, cell isolation and purification, radio immuno assay, hyperthermia causing agents for cancer therapy, nucleic acid purification etc. Biocompatible ferrofluids normally use water as a carrier medium. In order to prevent agglomeration the magnetic nanoparticles have to be stabilized by ionic interaction, a bilayer of an appropriate agent (e.g. fatty acid), aspartic and glutamic acid or peptides. Alternatively, the coprecipitation of ferrous/ferric ions is performed in the presence of appropriate biopolymer such as dextran, polyethylen glycol or polyvinyl alcohol. It has been shown that proteins and enzymes can be bound covalently to freshly prepared magnetite in the presence of carbodiimide. Several clinically important enzymes and proteins that include bovine serum albumin, streptokinase, chymotrypsin, dispase, glucose oxidase (GOD) etc., have been immobilized based on this method. The immobilized enzymes showed about 50-80 % of the original added enzyme activity. This contribution will summarize the information about the ways to synthesize biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles and complexes containing them and the application of magnetic complex systems in biomedicine at magnetic drug targeting and hyperthermia.

Drug discovery and development is a process that rationally leads to instigation of compound or formulation for the treatment of particular disease/diseased condition by acting on its specific target (s). Most of the drugs identified by conventional drug discovery process were as a result of unsystematic, random and serendipitous approach. Enhancement of knowledge in the field of biotechnology, molecular biology and medicinal chemistry improved the basic understanding of disease mechanism, mechanism of drug action resulting in a paradigm shift in drug discovery approach towards development of targeted drug discovery. Currently, molecular medicine encompassing elucidation of the genetic basis of disease, diagnosis of the disease and the design of an appropriate approach to disease management or therapy, promises to be an effective strategy for modern drug discovery. The change in approach resulted in improvement in target innovation, however doesn’t impact the rate of NMEs approved. The challenges limiting the drug discovery and prospects offered by molecular medicine and reverse pharmacology for its improvement were discussed in this review

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refs.]. -(TIMKO, M.; KONERACKA, M.; KOPCANSKY, P.; RAMCHAND, C. N.; VEKAS, L.; BICA, D.; Czech.