Evotec's PanOmics Approach

Proteomics is a rapidly evolving field that is transforming our understanding of biological systems and disease mechanisms. With the ability to analyse thousands of proteins simultaneously, proteomics empowers scientists to reveal previously unknown protein interactions, pathways, and drug targets. However, in-depth analysis of proteomics data can be challenging; it requires powerful computational tools and strong scientific expertise in orchestration to perform it properly. Evotec continually leads the way in proteomic research with its PanOmics approach that seamlessly combines both the data generation and analysis platforms.

Evotec’s data generation platform is among the largest mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics facility worldwide. With over 15 years of experience in driving drug discovery with mass spectrometry-based proteomics, it provides highly optimized and robust experimental strategies that can be easily tailored to different projects’ needs. One of the key advantages of Evotec’s proteomics data generation platform – ScreenPep – is its high-throughput without compromising coverage and accuracy. ScreenPep enables the analysis of several hundred samples at an unprecedented speed and depth, detecting beyond 10,000 proteins from cells or tissues and over 4,000 proteins from human biofluid samples like plasma. ScreenPep, which was originally developed for screening compounds during drug discovery programs, has recently been optimised for global proteomics studies from multi-centric patient cohorts. High sensitivity and accuracy are achieved by combining high-end mass spectrometry instrumentation with appropriate sample preparation and data acquisition methods, spanning from nanoparticle-based protein enrichment to data-independent acquisition. Furthermore, it can detect and quantify different protein isoforms as well as post-translational modifications (PTMs) (e.g., phosphorylations or ubiquitinations), which are often key players in biological systems and disease mechanisms. The ability to profile different aspects of the proteome in an unbiased way and at an industrial scale is critical in accelerating drug discovery.

The analysis of rich proteomic datasets is supported by Evotec’s data analysis platform – PanHunter^TM. PanHunter is a web-based solution that was launched as a Software-as-a- Service (SaaS) product in 2022. It offers several key features that strengthen and facilitate the collaboration of great minds. First, its highly flexible and interactive user interface allows data democratisation, enabling researchers to easily explore, visualise and analyse their own data with desired parameters. Appropriate questions can thus be directly addressed and investigated by researchers skilled with the required scientific expertise. Additionally, all statistical algorithms in PanHunter are peer-reviewed, ensuring that the results are always trustworthy and reproducible by users with all levels of bioinformatic skills. Specific analyses and modules can also be easily extended according to additional scientific needs. 

Furthermore, PanHunter connects multiple omics platforms and data sources, supporting the joint analysis of not only proteomics, but also genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and even clinical data. It constructs a holistic and integrated vision, enabling true understanding of the complex biological systems. Finally, it consolidates comprehensive metadata from various databases, bringing molecular and functional information, interaction networks, disease and drug signatures, biological pathways, and so on, to users. This eliminates the need to seek relevant information from multiple webpages and upload user’s sensitive data to public domains. With these powerful capabilities and constant advancement, PanHunter has been greatly accelerating multi-omics research and actively supporting multiple longitudinal and multi-cohort studies.

In summary, Evotec’s PanOmics approach incorporates its data generation and analysis platforms, ScreenPep and PanHunter, to enable proteomics research in an industrialised setting. ScreenPep offers high-throughput data generation with high sensitivity and accuracy to detect and quantify both high- and low-abundant proteins and PTMs from various biological samples. PanHunter accelerates the data analysis process by democratising the data to scientists, allowing interactive analysis, ensuring reliable results, correlating multiple omics platforms, and providing comprehensive metadata. By leveraging both platforms, Evotec is connecting the dots from peptide, protein, and PTM to public and proprietary knowledge, enabling true understanding of disease mechanisms at the molecular level, thus improving the probability of success and advancing drug discovery.