Biomarker Discovery

Frontage is an experienced service provider of RNA sequencing, metatranscriptomic analyses, and immunoassay studies designed to support analysis of pre-clinical samples as well as research studies of samples from completed clinical trials. Frontage’s established and flexible bioinformatic pipelines, as well as post-project support, enable researchers to identify markers relevant to specific treatments and move forward with confidence.

Our biomarker discovery services can shorten your development time of companion diagnostics & drug therapies:

• Biofluid Profiling: Frontage provides analysis of over 7 biomolecules within biological fluids: exosomes, mRNA, lncRNA, small RNA, oncogenes, cfDNA methylation, and proteins. Pilot studies are conducted where possible to minimize consumption of precious and limited clinical samples. Scientists at Frontage are highly experienced in working with a wide variety of circulating, excreted, and secreted biofluids.
• Exosomal RNA Profiling: Interrogate unique circulating disease- or therapeutic treatment-related markers in exosomes as well as tissue or cell specific exosomal RNA markers.
• RNA sequencing: Identify mutations, which impact treatment efficacy in FFPE or biofluid samples using the Illumina NextSeq 500, HiSeq 2500 and HiSeq 4000 instruments.
• Metatranscriptomics: Detect microorganisms and their metabolic signatures associated with treatment effects by sequencing of whole metatranscriptomes from a variety of biospecimens.
• MicroRNA: Frontage offers microRNA microarray services with Affymetrix industry standard arrays, as well as proprietary arrays and labeling/ hybridization processes to provide unparalleled detection of low abundance target RNA molecules. Our microRNA profiling services are optimized to support biomarker discovery initiatives.
• Immunoassays: A complete service for the accurate and sensitive quantification of proteins in a wide variety of samples. Custom panels can be designed to evaluate 1 to 60 analytes in several disease areas.  Oncology related analytes include circulating tumor, angiogenesis, and metastasis biomarkers.
• cfDNA Bisulfite Sequencing: Explore disease or treatment-effect on methylation patterns using tissue, genomic DNA (gDNA), or circulation cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples.
• Oncopanels: Analyze liquid biopsy samples using high coverage sequencing of the protein coding region of up to 100 genes with known cancer association. Panels detect genetic variants with allelic frequencies as low as 1% and assay multiple variant types such as germline and somatic mutations, gene fusion events, INDELs, SNPs, and structural variations.
• Predictive Modeling: Identify reliable genetic biomarkers that may be relevant for diagnostic, prognostic or screening purposes.

All services provided by Frontage are supported with post-project consultations and generation of materials for patent and FDA applications, manuscripts, and posters. Our companion diagnostic-focused services are designed to reduce attrition and reduce the time from compounds’ discovery to approval.

Sample Types (platform-specific analysis available)