Apparatus and methods for evaluating the quality of a combinatorial library of compounds

Abstract

Devices and methods are provided to facilitate the evaluation of the quality of a combinatorial library of compounds. One exemplary device comprises a holding plate having an array of apertures. A plurality of vials are removably held within the apertures. Each of the vials has an open top end. A seal member is disposed over the top ends of the vials, and a top plate is removably coupled to the holding plate to force the seal member against the top ends of the vials.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A device to evaluate the quality of a combinatorial library of compounds, the device comprising: 
 a holding plate having an array of apertures;    a plurality of vials removably held within the apertures, the vials having open top ends;    a seal member disposed over the top ends of the vials; and    a top plate removably coupled to the holding plate to force the seal member against the top ends of the vials.    
     
     
         2 . A device as in  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom plate to which the holding plate may be removably coupled, the bottom plate having a cavity for receiving bottom ends of the vials.  
     
     
         3 . A device as in  claim 2 , wherein the apertures in the holding plate are spaced apart to correspond to a standard multi-well plate fornat.  
     
     
         4 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the top plate and the holding plate are each constructed of a rigid material.  
     
     
         5 . A device as in  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of screws to removably couple the top plate to the holding plate.  
     
     
         6 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the top plate includes a plurality of through holes which are aligned with the vials when the top plate is coupled to the holding plate.  
     
     
         7 . A device as in  claim 1 , further comprising a resilient pad disposed adjacent the holding plate, the resilient pad having openings which correspond with the apertures of the holding plate.  
     
     
         8 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the seal member comprises a resilient sheet.  
     
     
         9 . A device as in  claim 1 , wherein the vials are constructed of glass.  
     
     
         10 . A method for evaluating the quality of a combinatorial library of compounds, the method comprising: 
 providing a device comprising a holding plate and a plurality of vials held by the holding plate;    placing at least one solid support into at least some of the vials, the solid support each having a ligand and encoded tags;    sealing the solid supports in the vials;    cleaving the ligand from the solid supports;    removing a ligand sample from the vials;    cleaving the encoded tags from the solid supports, wherein the vials are heating during cleavage while the solid supports are sealed within the vials;    removing samples of the cleaved tags from the vials; and    comparing the ligand to a structure indicated by the tags for each solid support.    
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the sealing step comprises placing a seal member over the vials and coupling a top plate to the holding plate to force the seal member against the vials.  
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein cleaving the ligand step comprises placing the vials under a lamp to photo cleave the ligands.  
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 12 , further comprising positioning bottom ends of the vials vertically upward when placing the vials under the lamp.  
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein the top plate has through holes which are aligned with the vials, and further comprising piercing through the seal member to extract the ligand sample from the vials.  
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein cleaving the encoded tags step comprises removing the top plate and the seal member and introducing a cleaving solution into the vials.  
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , further comprising placing another seal member over the vials and replacing the top plate prior to heating the vials.  
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 16 , further comprising removing the top plate and the seal member following heating and drying the cleaving solution.  
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 17 , further comprising adding a solvent to the vials and replacing the top member and the seal member.  
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 18 , further comprising piercing the seal member to remove the samples of the cleaved tags from the vials.  
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 10 , further comprising evaluating the ligand sample and the samples of the cleaved tags using mass spectrometry.