Analyzer Launched for Immunodiagnostic Testing

A new analyzer has been developed for mid-volume laboratories, a segment which represents more than 45% of immunodiagnostic testing.

The UniCel family of systems includes integrated workstations, such as the DxC 600i Synchron Access clinical system, which combines chemistry and immunoassay testing into one work cell with a single point of sample entry. With a menu of over 150 liquid, ready-to-use reagents, laboratories can consolidate testing for cardiac, proteins, reproductive, thyroid, drugs of abuse, therapeutic drug monitoring, and routine testing. The DxC 600i features an onboard capacity of 89 reagents, so the system can be configured to meet a laboratory's specific testing patterns.

Developed by Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, CA, USA), the immunoassay systems all use the same reagent format and inventory. The DxI 600 gives Beckman Coulter another immunoassay analyzer that will be combined with UniCel DxC chemistry systems, creating a broad range of work cells that will meet a variety of customer throughput requirements. Work cells comprise one of the fastest-growing segments of the in vitro diagnostics market, said Richard Creager, corporate vice president, immunoassay business center.

The DxI 600 is suitable for laboratories supporting 200-to 400-bed hospitals. It processes up to 200 tests per hour and releases the primary tube in less than five minutes. Its features include refrigerated storage for 50-reagent packs and on-board aliquotting.

Beckman Coulter has also introduced the Access Inhibin A, an automated assay for the quantitative determination of dimeric inhibin A levels in human serum and plasma. Inhibin A is a marker for Down's syndrome in early pregnancy. The newly automated Inhibin A assay negates the need to split samples when processed in tandem with other reproductive assays on the Access2 or UniCel DxI 800 Access immunoassay systems.


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