Small Molecule Drug Discovery

Automation and Miniaturization Leads
to Robust Screening Campaigns

One of the challenges in drug discovery and development is miniaturization. Miniaturization is key to automating small molecule discovery, facilitating higher throughput, increasing reliability and accuracy and reducing costs for screening large compound libraries. We have a solid track record in miniaturizing challenging assays to 384- and 1536-well formats for medium to Ultra-High-Throughput Screening (uHTS), and are experts at lab automation solutions to accelerate drug discovery.

Remote Access to a Smart Drug Discovery Laboratory

Unprecedented Remote Access to a
Smart Drug Discovery Laboratory

Strateos’ smart labs collectively span over 14K sqft and are composed of automated workcells that integrate hundreds of instruments which include a wide range of robust liquid handling instruments, accurate dispensers, plate washers and more to support miniaturization and automation of challenging biochemical and cellular assays. The robust integration of instrumentation, software and processes allows Strateos to offer automation as a service on demand to drug discovery researchers and scientists worldwide.

Automated Drug Discovery Modules

Learn More About the Automated Small Molecule Drug Discovery Modules

The smart lab physically and virtually integrates several areas of the drug discovery process together creating a state-of-the-art, automated drug discovery platform. The custom engineered Magnemotion track based layout, and scheduling and execution software integrates the automation modules, contextualizing data in an end-to-end laboratory workflow. By melding automation and drug discovery, the Strateos Cloud Lab can be the engine for a winning go-to-market strategy for your next drug launch.

Miniaturization
automation and miniaturization

Click to learn more about the custom Magnemotion Track

Click on the Images Below to Learn More
About Our Automation Modules

Input/Output for SAP Suite

I/O 2
Input/Output for SAP Suite

Automated Consumable Store for SAP Suite

SAP 9
Automated Consumable Store for SAP Suite

Automated Cold Material Management

SMR 1
Automated Cold Material Management

Liquid Reformatting & Plate Generation

SMR 5
Liquid Reformatting & Plate Generation

Reagents combined, Reaction prepared

SAP 1
Reagents Combined, Reaction Prepared

TST1 SAR, MTS Biochemical Assays

TST 1
SAR, MTS Biochemical Assays

TST2 AS/MS Plating, Reformatting, Biophysics

TST 2
AS/MS Plating, Reformatting, Biophysics

TST3 BSL2, SAR, MTS, HTS Biochemical, Cell Based Assays

TST 3
BSL2, SAR, MTS, HTS Biochemical, Cell Based Assays

TST5 BSL2, HTS Biochemical, Cell Based Assays

TST 5
BSL2, HTS Biochemical, Cell Based Assays

Interested in a Demo?

Get in touch today to get access to the Strateos Platform for your team.

Custom engineered Magnemotion track layout for conveyance of lab trays in and out of each module

automation and miniaturization

  • Robot transfers to bring samples from track to modules
  • Consumables storage module to store trays containing product for later retrieval
  • Input / Output module to bring compounds in and out of the system
  • Track utility infrastructure to provide power, water, air, exhaust, and various gases to each module
  • Video surveillance camera system throughout the lab and within the track for monitoring of samples throughout the process
  • Solvent delivery system to supply solvents to the required modules from a central distribution room in bulk containers

I/O 2 Input/Output for SAP Suite

Input/Output for SAP Suite

Operator handoff of vials for chemistry modules. This module is similar to IO1 except its main purpose is to load and unload samples for the chemistry modules named SAP1 through SAP8.

SAP 9 – Automated Consumable Store for SAP Suite

Automated Consumable Store for SAP Suite
Hold clean, naive consumables (vials, tubes, racks) for Synthesis, Analysis, and Purification (SAP) with automated delivery to track for transport to modules.

SMR 1 – Automated Cold Material Management

Automated Cold Material Management
Automated sample management storage module. This module supports the long-term cold storage of the various types of vials, pins, and plates in a temperature controlled environment at 4°C. The SMR1 modules holds automated stores supporting SMR, SAP and TST modules.

SMR 5 – Liquid Reformatting & Plate Generation

Liquid Reformatting & Plate Generation
Automated liquid handler module for sample reformatting. Handles sample solubilization of dry material vial in A1 and D2 vials to target concentration, as well as transfers from vials.

SAP 1 – Reagents Combined, Reaction Prepared

Reagents combined, Reaction prepared
Synthesis reaction preparation module. Chemicals needed for synthesis reactions are prepared in SAP 1 by dispensing and weighing, then sealing them inside glass pins before moving to SAP 2. This module offers solid (capillary and gravimetric) dispensing, liquid dispensing, stock solution preparation and encapsulation (sealing and dispensing) technologies.

TST 1 – SAR, MTS Biochemical Assays

TST1 SAR, MTS Biochemical Assays
TST1 is used for biological testing. Biochemical as well as biophysical assays are carried out in this module. That is, TST1 tests the compounds synthesized in the Strateos smart labs for their intended activity in simplified assays that hopefully represent the disease. These would primarily be biochemical (without cells) due to lack of a temperature controlled incubator. The information from TST1 can be used to inform the design of compounds to better impact their target while minimizing side-effects through structure activity relationship (SAR) studies. TST1 is built for SAR and medium throughput screening (MTS).

TST 2 – AS/MS Plating, Reformatting, Biophysics

TST2 AS/MS Plating, Reformatting, Biophysics
TST2 is used for bioanalytical preparation and analysis. For instance, solubility determinations of the compounds synthesized on L2S2 can be made in TST2. Compounds need to be appropriately soluble in order to reach their intended physiological targets. Another test is for clearance. Physiologically, compounds are metabolized and cleared from the body by liver enzymes. If compounds are cleared too quickly they will not have enough time to impact their physiological target.  Similarly, if they are cleared too slowly they might accumulate to toxic levels. The assays on TST2 estimate clearance by liver enzymes and inform the design of compounds to maintain appropriate solubility and clearance. TST2 is for high-throughput mass spectrometric-based assay assembly,primarily high-throughput solubility and LogD determination. Longer term TST2 will be used for Affinity Selection Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) preparation.

TST 3 – BSL2, SAR, MTS, HTS Biochemical, Cell Based Assays

TST3 BSL2, SAR, MTS, HTS Biochemical, Cell Based Assays
TST3 is used for biological testing. Having a temperature controlled incubator allows for both cell based and biochemical assays on this module. TST3 can run assays on the compounds synthesized on L2S2 or elsewhere for their intended activity in simplified assays that hopefully represent the disease. The information from SAR assays run on TST3 can be used to inform the design of compounds to better impact their target while minimizing side-effects. In addition this workcell is capable of running both HTS and MTS campaigns up to 1 million compounds in 1536 well assays.

TST 5 – BSL2, HTS Biochemical, Cell Based Assays

TST5 BSL2, HTS Biochemical, Cell Based Assays
TST5 is used for biological testing. Cell based and biochemical assays are carried out in this module. These could be biochemical (without cells) or cell-based (with cells). This workcell primary function is to rapidly find new starting materials for new lead discovery efforts via HTS. This workcell is capable of running both HTS and MTS campaigns up to 1 million compounds. Utilizing GNFWDII it is capable of adding and removing media on 1536 well plates, thereby extending the possible use for high content imaging assays.