Moving from Prototype to Industrial Product to Develop New Breakthrough Medications

Eikon Therapeutics is creating and implementing innovative technologies to analyze how proteins in living cells behave and interact. This groundbreaking technology is providing novel insights along the drug discovery process with the end goal of creating new medicines with the potential to address serious illnesses. Eikon joined forces with INO in 2021 for its expertise in precision optomechanics.

INO and Eikon collaborated closely to develop the three-beam laser illumination module that is integral to the Eikon technology. The alignment and thermal stability of the three beams was a key requirement, and through modelling, development, and testing, INO and Eikon developed a solution that achieved the alignment, thermal management and stability needed for successful implementation. The Eikon solution incorporates a variant of INO’s QuickPOZ technology, self-positioning optomechanical mounts providing unparalleled precision and repeatability, as well as vibration resistance.

Creating a prototype for an innovative new technology is only the first step in improving research capabilities. After jointly developing the design, INO’s task was to ensure that the module could be manufactured at scale and be stable, precise and reliable.

Breaking down complexity for future production

Assembling a device this complex presents significant challenges. The most important task is breaking down the assembly drawing into simple and properly sequenced steps, some of which can be performed independently, to facilitate production and long-term maintenance. In today’s world, also provisioning for supply problems is an essential part of the planning.

Embracing industrialization pays off

INO’s industrialization team is involved in the ideation phase of many collaborations, as decisions made early on can have significant implications during the development stage. Anticipating the industrialization of a product from the earliest stages of technological development also makes it easier to obtain international certifications, and INO is well-equipped to guide its clients who wish to manufacture locally and export globally. Over the years, the team has worked with companies in diverse fields, including the biomedical industry, security, material inspection, geomatics and even entertainment.

For INO, the true meaning of innovation is accelerating discoveries to create value for society.