September 29, 2008 FEI Company , a provider of high-resolution imaging and analysis systems, has installed a solution based upon its Tecnai Spirit cryo-transmission electron microscope (TEM) and three-dimensional (3D) tomography software at Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. in Mumbai, India. The firm will use FEI‘s 3D imaging solution for quality control of drug-loaded vesicles to speed up the development of new therapeutics.

“The cost of developing drugs and bringing new products to market is enormous and rising yearly; having access to accurate and timely information is essential for making decisions on compounds in our pipeline,” said Subhas Bhowmick, VP of formulation development for Sun Pharmaceutical. “We will use the FEI 3D imaging solution to gain a better understanding of the behavior of the drug in the human body in an effort to develop therapeutics that not only are more effective, but also exhibit reduced side effects. The information will also help us to shorten the drug development process and bring new therapeutics to market faster.”

Cryo-TEM allows life science researchers to study biological systems in their native, hydrated state and obtain unique information about the particle structure and function. Other (non-cryo) microscopy and preparation techniques can damage the fragile biological sample and do not preserve the structure needed for 3D reconstruction information. FEI claims its tomography software allows the system’s automation to acquire and process thousands of images unattended. FEI’s 3D imaging solution can also aid in the pharmaceutical production process; for example, new drug delivery techniques, such as encapsulating a drug in a liposome, can be monitored during production by visualizing the particle. These new drug delivery techniques utilize labeled liposomes that are transferred directly to the site of interest (such as a tumor cell) and enable targeted delivery of drugs without harming healthy tissue.