FairJourney Bio has opened a cryo-EM structural biology facility in San Diego, expanding its US antibody discovery operations.

FairJourney Bio has opened a cryo-electron microscopy facility in San Diego, adding structural biology capabilities to its antibody discovery platform as it expands in the US biotech market.

The new site includes two Thermo Fisher Titan Krios 5 300 kV systems designed to determine native-state structures of antibody-target complexes. The company said the facility will support projects ranging from epitope mapping and hit generation to lead optimisation and candidate selection.

Cryo-EM has become an increasingly important tool in biologics research because it allows scientists to visualise proteins and complexes at near atomic resolution without the need for crystallisation.

FairJourney Bio said the San Diego operation can deliver structural insights within two to three weeks and will complement its wider biologics development services.

The move strengthens the company’s presence in the US, where it already has operations in San Francisco, while adding to its European base.

FairJourney Bio said it employs more than 300 scientists and has worked with more than 250 industry partners. It added that its programmes have contributed to 19 antibodies now in clinical trials or on the market.

Christopher Arthur, chief scientific officer structural biology, FairJourney Bio, said: “Structural biology has historically been a late-stage tool, used to confirm decisions already made.

“We are redefining that paradigm.”

He said the company aimed to place structural insight earlier in antibody discovery to help guide epitope selection and lead prioritisation.

Werner Lanthaler, chief executive officer, FairJourney Bio, said: “We are at an exciting time for Cryo-EM driven drug discovery, as we begin to recognize its potential to transform antibody discovery and development.”

San Diego remains one of the leading biotech clusters in the US, with a strong concentration of biologics, genomics and drug development companies, making it a strategic location for specialist CRO expansion.

The launch reflects continued investment in advanced research tools by service providers seeking to support faster biologics discovery and development programmes.