Aurora libraries — Partnering with ChemDiv for Reliable Discovery Chemistry

Executive Summary & Why This Matters in R&D Pipelines

What they are: aurora libraries are focused collections designed to interrogate Aurora kinase nodes that orchestrate mitosis and chromosomal stability. Aurora A and B contribute to centrosome maturation, spindle assembly, and error correction; genetic amplification and overexpression are common in cancers, and selective inhibition has been investigated as a therapeutic strategy. Primary research and reviews in journals published on the Nature platform, Molecular Cancer, and NCBI resources provide mechanistic support for this biology and clinical exploration Oncogene (Nature), Molecular Cancer, NCBI Gene, UniProt.

Why it matters: In discovery, aurora libraries compress time‑to‑insight by delivering tractable hits that align with developability constraints (e.g., Ro5, polar surface area, rotatable bonds). Ensuring robust purity and identity (LC‑MS, 1H NMR) and traceable data lineage reduces false positives and downstream attrition. This combination of chemical quality and biological relevance is a determinant of HTS success (see ChemDiv’s QC notes in Screening Libraries & QC).

Outcomes to expect: properly curated aurora libraries improve hit novelty, facilitate clustering and SAR exploration, and support rapid analog generation. Peer‑reviewed examples have sourced Aurora hits from ChemDiv collections, demonstrating practical utility of commercial libraries in kinase discovery programs Lawrence et al., 2012; Ramírez‑Zamorano et al., 2014.

How to Evaluate aurora libraries (aurora libraries Selection Framework)

Use this framework to benchmark offerings from multiple suppliers. The goal is to select aurora libraries that maximize hit quality and minimize program friction.

Quality Systems (QC/QA, CoAs, analytical methods)

• Identity & purity: Require LC‑MS and/or 1H NMR for every shipped compound. ChemDiv states purity thresholds >90% for screening compounds, with spectra available (NMR/LC‑MS) and optional 13C/IR as needed — see Screening Libraries & QC.
• Storage & handling: Dry powders stored to maintain stability; DMSO solutions freshly prepared from dry powder to reduce degradation (ChemDiv practice documented on the screening libraries page).
• Data lineage: Ensure each plate/sample links back to batch‑level QC, enabling hit confirmation and re‑supply from the same lot.
• Developability filters: Ask which medicinal chemistry filters were applied (e.g., Lipinski Ro5, Veber). Primary Ro5 reference: Lipinski 2001; perspective: Benet et al., 2016.

Supply Chain Reliability & Lead Times

• On‑hand inventory: Prioritize providers with large stock positions and track record for timely delivery. ChemDiv advertises extensive stock availability (catalog notes >2M screening compounds; homepage indicates ~2M stock compounds) and can resupply gram amounts for many items — see Catalog and Homepage.
• Plating options: 96/384/1536‑well formats and custom vialing reduce integration friction with HTS (see HTS platform).
• Hit follow‑up: Confirm pathways for same‑batch re‑supply, analog search (2M+ stock) and de novo IP‑clean enumerations (see Hit Follow‑up Support).

Compliance & Documentation (REACH/SDS/GxP where applicable)

• SDS & CoA availability: For building blocks and many stocked items, SDS and CoAs accompany shipments (see Building Blocks).
• Privacy & legal terms: Review data protection and terms for procurement: Privacy Policy; shipping/payment policies in the Policies & Terms center.
• GxP handoffs: Define interfaces for IND‑enabling analytics and transfer to GLP/GMP partners if applicable.

IP, Confidentiality, and Data Integrity

• IP‑clean space: Ask how aurora libraries were designed for freedom to operate and follow‑up space (ChemDiv emphasizes IP‑aware selection in many focused sets).
• Data custody: Establish secure exchange for structures, plate maps, and spectra; require immutable audit trails.
• Contracting: Align on SoWs and confidentiality terms under your MSA; ChemDiv supports standard CRO contracting.

Where ChemDiv Fits (Products, Libraries, Custom Services)

ChemDiv is a fully integrated discovery partner with extensive compound inventory and specialty sets, including aurora libraries focused on AURKA/B, and broad kinase and phenotypic resources for adjacent biology (e.g., Protein Kinases Inhibitors Library and the Human Kinases Annotated Library).

Screening Libraries & Medicinal Chemistry Support

• Aurora A–B library: 10,000‑member set designed to probe AURKA/B space (details).
• Scale for follow‑up: 2M+ stocked screening compounds with rapid analog search; homepage cites ~2M stock compounds for breadth. Start with aurora libraries, then fan out to near neighbors in the kinase universe (Catalog).
• Hit‑to‑lead: FTE‑based medicinal chemistry, make‑on‑demand analogs, and enumerated mini‑libraries (see Drug Discovery Services).

Custom Synthesis & Scale‑Up Options

• Resynthesis & purification: HPLC purification (including chiral), batch‑matched re‑supply, and structure confirmation.
• Scale‑up: Pilot‑scale synthesis, method development/validation, and analytical QC coverage — see Scale‑up Synthesis.
• CADD & ML: Docking, pharmacophore modeling, and chemoinformatics triage to prioritize sub‑sets within aurora libraries (see CADD services).

Case Snapshots / Achievements (verifiable highlights)

• Aurora hits from ChemDiv collections: peer‑reviewed papers have identified potent Aurora kinase inhibitors from ChemDiv screening sets and curated databases, demonstrating the practical utility of commercial libraries in kinase discovery Lawrence et al., 2012; Ramírez‑Zamorano et al., 2014.
• HTS infrastructure: ChemDiv supports 96–1536‑well formats with automated liquid handling and multimode detection, reducing logistics overhead for screening HTS platform.
• Ongoing collaborations: public updates illustrate active partnerships and infrastructure investments supporting discovery operations (e.g., 2025 facility and partnership news) — see recent news.

Technical Deep Dive (Methods, Workflows, Example Schematics)

This section illustrates how discovery teams operationalize aurora libraries from feasibility through hit confirmation and early SAR.

Sample SOP Excerpts (non‑proprietary)

1. Receipt & Intake: verify shipment condition; reconcile plate map against manifest; ingest supplier QC (LC‑MS, 1H NMR) into ELN/LIMS. If using ChemDiv, spectra images are provided per order with batch linkage (QC details).
2. Solubilization: prepare DMSO stocks at 10 mM unless assay‑specific constraints apply; document exact solvent lots and water content.
3. Primary Screen: run HTS with positive/negative controls; Z′ > 0.5 acceptance; flag plate/system outliers.
4. Orthogonal Confirmation: retest actives by independent assay and against counter‑targets (e.g., tubulin interference) to minimize assay artifacts.
5. Biophysical triage: target‑engagement where feasible; for kinases, differentiate Type I vs Type II binding, and evaluate off‑target kinome activity.
6. Hit Clustering & SAR seeds: Bemis‑Murcko scaffold clustering and matched molecular pair analysis; prioritize tractable series for hit‑to‑lead.
7. Follow‑up Ordering: request same‑batch resupply and plate‑matched analogs. ChemDiv supports rapid re‑supply and analog enumeration across the stock and virtual space (see Hit follow‑up).

Analytical Readouts & Acceptance Criteria

• Purity threshold: ≥90% by LC‑MS/HPLC for screening compounds; spot‑check by 1H NMR for suspect cases (ChemDiv practice: QC reference).
• Identity confirmation: expected m/z (±5 ppm where high‑res data available), structural consistency across spectra.
• Assay quality: Z′ > 0.5; CV < 10%; DMSO tolerance as per assay validation.
• Hit confirmation: ≥3 independent confirmations; dose–response with Hill slope diagnostics; eliminate frequent hitters and aggregators.

Buyer’s Toolkit (Checklists, RFP prompts, comparison table)

Use this toolkit to standardize supplier comparisons for aurora libraries and accelerate procurement.

RFP Prompts You Can Paste

1) Provide full description of your aurora libraries (size; AURKA vs AURKB coverage; medchem filters used; known actives included/excluded).

            2) Confirm per‑compound QC package (LC‑MS, 1H NMR), batch linkage, and availability of same‑batch resupply.
            3) Describe plating/vialing options, plate maps, and barcoding compatible with 1536‑well HTS.
            4) Outline hit follow‑up support: analog search space across stock (≥2M) and custom enumeration; typical resynthesis turnaround.
            5) State compliance posture: SDS/CoA handling, REACH status, and applicable GxP handoffs.
            6) Provide 3 blinded customer references for kinase programs (optional NDA).

Comparison Table

FAQs (procurement, QA, logistics, documentation)

What’s the difference between AURKA and AURKB, and why curate specific aurora libraries for each?

AURKA regulates centrosome maturation and spindle assembly; AURKB governs chromosome alignment and cytokinesis. Overexpression of both has been reported in cancers. Distinct biology can warrant differentiated screening subsets and orthogonal counters to improve selectivity (see Oncogene review, Nature journal review).

How does ChemDiv verify compound quality before shipment?

Screening compounds undergo LC‑MS and/or 1H NMR with purity targets ≥90%; spectra are supplied electronically with each order. Storage is dry powder; DMSO solutions are prepared fresh (see Screening Libraries & QC).

Can we source broader kinome diversity adjacent to aurora libraries?

Yes. Combine with ChemDiv’s Protein Kinases Inhibitors Library and Complete List of Libraries to expand into neighboring chemotypes.

What if we need custom chemistry, analogs, or scale‑up?

Engage FTE medchem and scale‑up via Drug Discovery Services and Scale‑up Synthesis.

Where can I confirm compliance and data protection?

See Privacy Policy and related Policies & Terms pages. SDS/CoA workflow examples appear on the Building Blocks page.

About ChemDiv (E‑E‑A‑T signals, team, facilities)

ChemDiv is an integrated discovery partner with extensive small‑molecule resources and services spanning screening, biology, CADD, medicinal chemistry, and scale‑up. Public pages describe the scale and scope of the organization (e.g., >2 M screening compounds in the catalog and ~2 M stock compounds noted on the homepage), HTS infrastructure (up to 1536‑well formats), and active collaborations and facility growth. Explore About ChemDiv, HTS platform, and selected news.

References & Further Reading (authoritative)

1. Lipinski CA et al. Experimental and computational approaches to estimate solubility and permeability in discovery and development settings. Adv Drug Deliv Rev, 2001. PubMed • Elsevier.
2. Benet LZ et al. BDDCS, the Rule of 5 and drugability. Adv Drug Deliv Rev, 2016. PMC.
3. Mou PK et al. Aurora kinase A, a synthetic lethal target for precision cancer medicine. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (Nature), 2021. Nature.
4. Naso FD et al. Nuclear localisation of Aurora‑A: regulation and oncogenic potential. Oncogene (Nature), 2021. Nature.
5. Du R et al. Targeting AURKA in Cancer: molecular mechanisms and opportunities. Molecular Cancer, 2021. BMC.
6. NCBI Gene: AURKA (Gene ID: 6790). NCBI.
7. UniProt: Aurora kinase A (O14965). UniProt.
8. Ashraf S et al. Exploration of structural requirements of Aurora B inhibitors. Scientific Reports (Nature), 2021. Nature.
9. Lawrence HR et al. Development of ortho‑Chlorophenyl Substituted ATP competitive Aurora kinase inhibitors (ChemDiv hit origin noted). PMC.
10. Ramírez‑Zamorano N et al. Identification of Aurora‑A inhibitors by ligand/structure‑based approaches; ChemDiv library screened. Molecular Informatics, 2014. Wiley.
11. PubChem Pathway: AURKA activation by TPX2 (Reactome). PubChem.
12. Recent context: Aurora kinases and therapy resistance. Scientific Reports, 2025. Nature.

Call to Action (Request a Quote • Talk to a Scientist • Explore Catalog)

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