Europe's first turnkey Adme/Tox system

Drug discovery processes will be streamlined using this Adme/Tox (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicology) system, now being launched in Europe

Thermo Electron launches in Europe the first turnkey Adme/Tox (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicology) system on the market at SBS, Geneva.

The LeadStream Adme/Tox, first introduced at Lab Automation 2005, addresses today's drug discovery challenges by dramatically increasing the availability of early Adme/Tox data and accelerating early-stage drug compound assessment, says the company.

In vitro Adme/Tox plays a crucial role in the early assessment of potential drug candidates.

Prior to LeadStream, this process was not as streamlined and automated as other phases of drug discovery, such as high throughput screening.

As a result, pharmaceutical companies were limited in the early identification of the most promising candidates.

"We've spent the past few years working to understand the complexities of Adme testing within the drug discovery process, and we're confident that our integrated yet modular approach will dramatically reduce the time it takes to bring sought-after drugs to market," said Ian Jardine, vice president of global research and development at Thermo.

"In addition to our comprehensive hardware and software strategy, we have set up our own application laboratory to conduct assays which are widely utilised in the pharmaceutical industry.

"This effort has provided us with first-hand knowledge of how the LeadStream solution will work in the pharmaceutical researcher's laboratory".

"Thermo is uniquely positioned to offer an Adme/Tox solution because of our ability to bring together a multitude of Thermo hardware and software solutions to create a single, integrated, more comprehensive and sophisticated platform for our customers," said Marijn Dekkers, president and CEO of Thermo Electron.

"With LeadStream, we're allowing scientists to generate preclinical profiling results in a shorter time-scale, demonstrating our continued dedication to customer-driven innovation".

Thermo's LeadStream platform consists of four distinct elements: three integrated instrumentation modules, plus software that manages the flow of samples through the laboratory.

The components include LeadStream Orchestrator: software that collects and reports on the data in a unified database (Lims connectivity), and optimises the Adme/Tox screening workflow across multiple assay types; LeadStream Reformatter: provides online preparation of plates for LeadStream WorkCell - the parallel processing dramatically reduces turn-around time; LeadStream WorkCell: fully automated, modular platform proven to conduct an array of Adme/Tox assays; and LeadStream LC/MS: offers high-quality LC/MS analysis and quantification.

Thermo Electron describes itself as the world leader in analytical instruments, which enables its customers to make the world a healthier, cleaner and safer place.

Thermo's life and laboratory sciences segment provides analytical instruments, scientific equipment, services and software for life science, drug discovery, clinical, environmental and industrial laboratories.

Thermo's measurement and control segment is dedicated to providing analytical instruments used in a variety of manufacturing processes and in-the-field applications, including those associated with safety and homeland security.

Based near Boston, Massachusetts, Thermo has revenues of approximately $2.7 billion, and employs approximately 11,000 people in 30 countries.

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