New Instruments to Enhance Middle East Diagnostic Services

A major international biomedical company has solidified its position in the Middle East diagnostics market with an impressive display of its latest automated instruments.

The Swiss diagnostics giant Roche (Basel, Switzerland) through its subsidiary Roche Diagnostics Middle East introduced several diagnostic systems at the 2015 Arab Health Exhibition & Congress in Dubai. These systems had not been available previously in the region.


In particular, the display featured the cobas 8100 automated workflow system, the cobas t 411 coagulation analyzer, and the VENTANA HE 600 histopathology system.

The cobas 8100 system is made up of three stations: output, input, and aliquot stations. Each station can be configured according to the number of samples laboratories need to manage and the kind of workflow they want to run. The input station is the single point of entry which performs the first pre-analytical steps, identifies tube types and allows for automated centrifugation and decapping. The aliquot station enables secondary samples to be created without exposing healthcare professionals to open samples handling. It prepares the secondary samples for automated sorting, archiving, or analysis. The output station allows for mid-term storage of samples that could require additional processing, performs automated sorting and ruled-base recapping, all minimizing manual sample handling. The smart routing of samples is guided by a novel three-dimensional transport system that avoids traffic jams, in particular at high workload. This enables parallel handling of emergency (STAT) samples and routine testing.

The new cobas t 411coagulation analyzer was designed to allow maximum flexibility for laboratories with low-to-medium throughput and a unique set of enhanced safety features to ensure robust and high quality patient results. It features innovative sample and reagent management concepts such as automated multi-vendor cap-piercing, maximized reagent utilization, and integrated barcode scanning for samples and reagents and offers increased operator convenience and productivity.

The VENTANA HE 600 histopathology system is the next technological step following Roche's Symphony—the first fully automated H&E instrument. With the VENTANA HE 600 system laboratories can rely on fully automated, consistent high quality hematoxylin and eosin staining with no patient cross contamination in a simpler and more cost-effective and reliable way.

In parallel with the launch of diagnostic instruments, Roche introduced the "RDME Academy" at the Arab Health Exhibition & Congress. The RDME Academy is an online platform that makes real-time laboratory and learning tools accessible at the click of a mouse, through the RDME Academy website. The RDME Academy website affords users a comprehensive one-stop learning platform that gives them access to the entire training catalogue (including coursework, video, and presentation slides).

“In launching these new products at Arab Health, we have reaffirmed our dedication to the region and reinforced our commitment to providing first class diagnostics solutions - moving forward, our presence in the Middle East should allow us to continue to develop further breakthroughs and innovations,” said Moritz Hartmann, general manager of Roche Diagnostics Middle East. “These new diagnostic technologies were designed to help healthcare professionals deliver smooth, efficient in vitro diagnostics services, whilst also offering regional patient’s added peace of mind, as they can rest assured they are receiving industry-leading dedicated, safe, and efficient solutions.”

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