Case Study: Building a Custom Platform for Matrix Drug Combination Screening

Background

Drug combination therapy has become a critical strategy in the fight against complex diseases like cancer, infectious disease, and neurological disorders. Unlike single-agent treatments, combination regimens can improve efficacy, overcome resistance, and reduce toxicity. However, identifying optimal combinations requires screening hundreds or thousands of compound pairs across multiple concentrations, producing vast, multi-dimensional datasets. Traditional tools lack the flexibility and computational power needed to manage these workflows effectively. Recognizing this gap, Nextonic Solutions set out to develop a purpose-built platform for matrix drug combination screening that empowers researchers with automation, analytics, and insight at scale.

Challenge

Standard drug screening methods often fall short when testing combinatorial effects. High-throughput experiments involving multi-dimensional dose matrices generate massive datasets that are difficult to organize, analyze, and interpret using off-the-shelf tools. Researchers needed an integrated platform to automate workflows, compute synergy scores, and extract actionable insights from complex screens.

Nextonic’s Solution

Our team developed a custom screening software suite to enable flexible, scalable, and user-friendly matrix testing workflows. Key features included:

• Matrix Design Tools: Researchers can design complex n×n or asymmetric drug pair matrices, adjusting dosages dynamically.

• Automated Data Integration: Direct connections to LIMS, assay platforms, and robotic systems ensure seamless data capture.

• Synergy Analysis Engines: Built-in calculations for Loewe Additivity, Bliss Independence, and ZIP synergy models.

• Visualization & Reporting: Heatmaps, isobolograms, and interactive dashboards help users rapidly identify effective combinations.

• Scalable Infrastructure: Designed with cloud-native architecture to support expansion across diseases, targets, or compounds.

Results

• Enabled testing of thousands of compound combinations across multiple disease models with streamlined experiment management.

• Reduced manual data processing and risk of error by automating normalization, QC, and analytics pipelines.

• Delivered faster time to insight through intuitive interfaces and real-time feedback for experimental design decisions.

• Improved reproducibility and transparency with built-in audit logs, version tracking, and exportable reports.

Impact

This custom software platform is now powering advanced screening efforts in oncology, infectious disease, and rare disease research. By combining flexible design tools with robust analytics, Nextonic Solutions is helping accelerate the discovery of synergistic drug therapies, supporting more targeted, effective, and personalized treatment strategies.