Thermo Fisher Scientific Unveils a New Solution to Increase Sensitivity of In Vitro Toxicity Testing

Traditional methods of assessing toxicity in vitro measure single targets and have a record of low predictive power. Recent published research has shown that cellular imaging, which combines multiple toxicity targets in single cells provides better indicators of compound toxicity. Such rich profiles of cellular toxicity have the potential to revolutionize the way toxicity testing is performed, from reducing late stage drug failures due to adverse toxicity (hence lowering overall drug development costs), to better understanding of the effect of environmental toxins as well as ensuring the products we use from shampoos to topical skin treatments are safe.

Harnessing the power of cell imaging to make multiple toxicity assessments on a cell by cell basis, the ToxInsight IVT Platform, for the first time, unites automated instrumentation, software, and reagent 'cartridges' within a simple, intuitive workflow, offering improved sensitivity and specificity compared to traditional methods. ToxInsight delivers the tools needed to drive a new standard for in vitro toxicity testing, allowing deeper insights and better decisions to be made earlier in the discovery process.

The ToxInsight IVT Platform, including the reader hardware, software, and biological assessment cartridges, such as organelle health and proliferation/cell death, can be seen at the Thermo Scientific booth #203 at the World Pharmaceutical Congress, June 9-11 2009, Philadelphia.