Thermo Fisher Scientific announced Astex Pharmaceuticals, a leader in innovative drug discovery and development, selected the Thermo Scientific Glacios Cryo Transmission Electron Microscope (Cryo-TEM) to aid in its drug discovery and development program. Astex’s research focuses on oncology and diseases of the central nervous system. They will install the Glacios Cryo-TEM at their research and development headquarters in Cambridge, UK.

Astex is one of five pharmaceutical companies participating with Thermo Fisher in the Cambridge Pharmaceutical Cryo-EM Consortium. Designed-in connectivity between the Glacios Cryo-TEM and the high-performance Thermo Scientific Krios Cryo-TEM system, located at nearby Cambridge University, will allow researchers to optimize their productivity. Scientists will be able to first prescreen samples on the Glacios Cryo-TEM to find the best quality samples before advancing to the higher resolution imaging on the Krios Cryo-TEM.

Dr. Harren Jhoti, president and chief executive officer of Astex, said, “We are excited to be the first company in the world to have a new Glacios system installed in-house. We believe it will make an important contribution as we explore the potential of cryo-EM in our search for important new therapeutic agents.” 

“The acceptance and adoption of Thermo Scientific cryo-EMs within the pharmaceutical industry has accelerated over the last year, and we are pleased the Glacios will be part of the vital research Astex is undertaking,” said Mike Shafer, president, materials and structural analysis, Thermo Fisher. “The Glacios is a critical step in accelerating the workflow process for scientists researching pharmaceutical solutions for treating diseases.”