Compartmentalised combinatorial chemistry by microfluidic control

A method for identifying primary compounds which react together to form secondary compounds capable of binding to or modulating the activity of a target, comprising the steps of:

• (a) compartmentalising two or more sets of primary compounds into microcapsules;
• such that a proportion of the microcapsules contains two or more compounds;
• (b) forming secondary compounds in the microcapsules by chemical reactions between primary compounds from different sets;
• and
• (c) identifying subsets of primary compounds which react to form secondary compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of the target;
• wherein one or more of steps (a) and (b) and (c) are performed under microfluidic control.

A method for synthesising compounds with enhanced ability to bind to or modulate the activity of the target, comprising the steps of:

• (a) compartmentalising into microcapsules subsets of primary compounds identified in step (c) of the second aspect of the invention and, optionally, compartmentalising additional sets of primary compounds;
• (b) forming secondary compounds in the microcapsules by chemical reactions between primary compounds from different sets;
• and
• (c) identifying subsets of primary compounds which react to form secondary compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of the target;
• wherein one or more of steps (a) and (b) and (c) are performed under microfluidic control.

A method for identifying individual compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of the target, comprising the steps of:

• compartmentalising into microcapsules a primary compound identified in step (c) of the second or third aspect of the invention and additional sets of primary compounds;
• forming secondary compounds in the microcapsules by chemical reactions between primary compounds from different sets;
• and
• identifying subsets of primary compounds which react to form secondary compounds which bind to or modulate the activity of the target;
• wherein one or more of steps (a) and (b) and (c) are performed under microfluidic control.