Roche launches new cobas pro integrated solutions to significantly reduce manual operations in labs

  • cobas pro integrated solutions enhances automated procedures to overcome key challenges in lab management
  • This new Serum Work Area solution in the cobas family minimizes hands-on time and maximizes productivity through automated procedures
  • This new innovation offers flexibility for future changing testing needs, enabling labs to further deliver quality patient care 

Basel, 9 Jan. 2019

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that its recently launched cobas® pro integrated solutions is now available for countries accepting the CE mark. This next generation of innovation in the Serum Work Area marks a significant milestone in evolving laboratory diagnostic workflow and continues with Roche’s long tradition as leader in lab consolidation. By improving operator experience to help streamline and simplify equipment and processes, Roche is advancing clinical outcomes to improve patient care. 

Offering excellent performance, with a simple-to-use and newly designed interface, cobas pro integrated solutions is breaking new ground in Serum Work Area. It has re-set standards for reliability, maintenance and efficiency, by lowering the cost of healthcare delivery and increasing patient satisfaction. It allows for up to 2,200 tests per hour with three modules working in parallel and perfectly synchronized in order to improve efficiency.1 Furthermore, cobas pro integrated solutions boasts up to 3.25 hours less operating time2,3, while 93% of Roche Immunoassays have reaction times of 18 minutes or less.4,5  Shortening the time in delivering results to physicians and patients across a number of therapeutic areas, including pregnancy, core lab/HIV testing and blood screening, is vital to clinical decision making. 

The new cobas pro integrated solutions offers several advanced features, including automated maintenance and cobas AutoCal, together with an intelligent, on-the-fly reagent loading concept. Inspired by insights from Roche Diagnostics’ customers, these features aim to optimize the day-to-day experience of laboratory professionals, supporting them in focusing their time on the tasks that matter and spending less time on manual operations. 

cobas pro integrated solutions introduces key innovations including cobas SonicWash, which is an ultrasonic probe cleaning on the Clinical Chemistry and Ion-Selective Electrode analytical units which assures sample integrity, as well as efficient and flexible sample routing; together with the cobas AutoCal, which is an automated calibration procedure on the clinical chemistry analytical unit which saves precious hands-on time. These advanced features are designed with patients’ health in mind, as they reduce time between diagnosis and treatment plans with greater accuracy.

“This new generation of Serum Work Area solutions has been inspired by our tireless mission to help improve speed and reliability of treatment decisions for patients and their families,” said Thomas Schinecker, Head of Centralised and Point of Care Solutions at Roche Diagnostics. “To achieve this, we strive to simplify the workflow of our customers so they can carry out their daily routine efficiently. Increasing automation and minimising operation intervention with cobas pro integrated solutions will not only improve productivity, but also enhance reliability and turnaround times in delivering results to patients”. 

About Roche

Roche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science to improve people’s lives. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalised healthcare – a strategy that aims to fit the right treatment to each patient in the best way possible.

Roche is the world’s largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management.

Founded in 1896, Roche continues to search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable contribution to society. The company also aims to improve patient access to medical innovations by working with all relevant stakeholders. Thirty medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and cancer medicines. Moreover, for the tenth consecutive year, Roche has been recognised as the most sustainable company in the Pharmaceuticals Industry by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).

The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2017 employed about 94,000 people worldwide. In 2017, Roche invested CHF 10.4 billion in R&D and posted sales of CHF 53.3 billion. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information, please visit www.roche.com.