Yokogawa Releases CellLibrarian High-content Data Management System - For improved efficiency in drug discovery and biological and medical research through the uniform management of microscopic images -

Tokyo, Japan - March 1, 2018

Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces the release of the CellLibrarian™ high-content data management system. This system facilitates the retrieval and categorization of huge volumes of microscopic images taken for drug discovery and biological and medical research by ensuring that this data is managed in a uniform manner. The CellLibrarian image data management system is intended for use with Yokogawa's CellVoyager series high-throughput cytological discovery systems. By offering both solutions, Yokogawa will be able to help its customers improve efficiency and accelerate their research.

CellLibrarian screen
Zoom

Development Background

High content analysis (HCA) systems that can identify new drug candidates by screening up to a million separate compounds are entering wide use in the drug discovery field. With HCA, cells are treated with candidate compounds, the cells are imaged by a microscope camera, and the images are analyzed to determine how the cells reacted to the compounds.

HCA systems generate huge volumes of image data. All this data together with metadata describing the kinds and concentrations of the compounds, the imaging conditions, and so on must be managed, and it must be possible to set search parameters for its retrieval, checking, and analysis. In response to the need for the management of data generated by its CellVoyager CV7000, CellVoyager CV7000S, and CellVoyager CV8000 high-throughput cytological discovery systems, Yokogawa has developed the CellLibrarian high-content data management system. The CellLibrarian platform is based on OMERO Plus, Glencoe Software's customized distribution of the world-leading OMERO image data management system built by the Open Microscopy Environment consortium. OMERO Plus is a proven solution for the management of optical and electron microscope images, pathological images, and HCA screening images that are used in life science, biomedical research, and clinical trial applications.

Product Features

1. Storage of data on server for retrieval and sharing via the Internet
   Images acquired by the CellVoyager system can be exported to the CellLibrarian server, allowing multiple users to retrieve, share, and view this data via the Internet. Using the CellLibrarian software, users can adjust the image color and brightness, and share these image settings with other users in their group. The data server is installed at the customer site and only registered persons can access the data.
2. Association of metainformation with image data
   To facilitate the retrieval of images and the categorization of this data, various types of metainformation can be associated with the image files. This includes descriptions of experiments, kinds and concentrations of compounds, imaging conditions, tags, comments, and other files.
3. Compatibility with CellPathfinder™ image analysis software
   Image data saved in the CellLibrarian database can be analyzed using the CellPathfinder image analysis software that was developed for use with CellVoyager systems and released in September 2017. CellPathfinder can analyze microscopic images of fluorescence-stained cells, which are commonly used for HCA, as well as images of unlabeled cells that have been taken with a bright-field microscope^*1. Through the use of a pattern recognition function that makes use of machine learning, this software can analyze images of cultured cells and precisely capture the changes that occur over time as cells proliferate.

Major Target Markets

Research and development departments of pharmaceutical companies, drug discovery research institutions, and biomedical basic research organizations

Applications

Management of high-content analysis image data gathered during the screening of candidate compounds for new drugs; applied research on regenerative medicine and drug discovery using iPS and ES cells; analysis of cell functions; and research on tissue formation

About CellVoyager

There are several techniques for screening candidate compounds for new drugs. HCA systems use the high content analysis (HCA) technique. This highly precise and objective screening technique analyzes changes in cells over time by focusing on multiple parameters from microscopic images of the target cells. Yokogawa's CellVoyager HCA system features a confocal scanner unit that can observe living cells in real time and a precision objective positioning technology that enables high-speed screening.

Yokogawa entered this market in 2009 with the release of the CellVoyager CV6000 system, and followed up by releasing the CellVoyager CV7000 in 2011 and the CellVoyager CV8000 in 2017. These systems have won good reviews for their industry leading screening speeds and resolution^*2, and come with a function that enables the observation of rapid cellular responses during drug treatment. These systems have entered wide use and are accelerating the development of new drugs and improving the efficiency of basic biological and medical research.

*1 A widely used type of microscope that uses a lamp to illuminate samples that are not labeled with fluorescent dyes

*2 Based on a February 2018 Yokogawa market survey

 

About Yokogawa

Yokogawa's global network of 113 companies spans 60 countries. Founded in 1915, the US$3.5 billion company engages in cutting-edge research and innovation. Yokogawa is active in the industrial automation and control (IA), test and measurement, and aviation and other businesses segments. The IA segment plays a vital role in a wide range of industries including oil, chemicals, natural gas, power, iron and steel, pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, and food. Targeting this segment, Yokogawa helps companies maximize their profits by offering a wide range of highly reliable products and working with the subsidiary KBC Advanced Technologies to provide premium solutions and services. For more information about Yokogawa, please visit www.yokogawa.com.

The names of companies, products, and brands in this text are registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective holders.