Olympus Moves Into Immunoassays

This new move into immunoassays is designed to help laboratories seamlessly consolidate workflow on a common platform and is part of the Olympus strategy to become a provider of complete medical laboratory solutions. The launch of the AU3000i and accompanying reagents, forecast for the summer of 2006, will offer laboratories the opportunity to consolidate both clinical chemistry and immunochemistry at a single workplace.

The AU3000i utilizes suspended paramagnetic particles as the solid phase and highly sensitive chemiluminescence for detection. The unit is designed for high volme, uninterrupted analysis, whatever the assay mix. Innovative features such as multiple incubation rings allow the AU3000i to run both single- and two-step assay protocols and still achieve a throughput of 240 tests per hour. Plus and play liquid stable reagents with unique 20-dimensional (2D) barcodes make loading easy. Up to 24 parameters can be loaded using two separate carousels.

"This marks a major and carefully planned investment by Olympus,” noted Dr. Peter Szillat, product manager, immunochemistry, commented. "There have been many advances in immunoassay in recent years and we have been able to take advantage of these to produce a state-of-the-art offering. We will be launching the AU3000i initially with thyroid, fertility, and tumor markers.” Cardiac, allergy, and anemia assays will follow.

"Customers will be able to physically link chemistry and immunoassay analyzers and introduce what we see as truly ‘intelligent sample management,'”added Dr. Szillat.




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