Roche has announced that its new, dedicated haematology testing solution, the cobas m 511 integrated haematology analyser, is now available for countries accepting the CE Mark. This launch marks the entry for Roche Diagnostics in the haematology market, with a Roche developed system.
Currently, haematology testing requires a larger blood sample from a given patient, which needs to be run across several different systems in order to get the full set of results. This is labour- and time-intensive, and potentially provides inconsistent results, as slide images are difficult to interpret.
Featuring Bloodhound technology, the cobas m 511 addresses the challenges of haematology testing by combining the three components of the process: a digital morphology analyser, cell counter and classifier into one streamlined solution which prepares, stains and analyses microscopy blood slides.
“With this launch, patients will benefit from a faster and more accurate diagnosis of blood diseases, as diverse as anemia and leukemia”, said Roland Diggelmann, chief executive officer of Roche Diagnostics. “We are entering a new area of innovation with Roche in haematology testing, supporting customers with integrated and efficient laboratory solutions, which deliver increased medical value”.
The cobas m 511 provides greater accuracy and consistency of results, compared to current technologies, by identifying, counting, isolating and categorising white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, then presenting the digital images of all these cell types. Medical technologists can now concentrate their time on finding and classifying abnormal cells within patient samples. This automation and digitalization reduces the need for resource-intensive manual microscope reviews, supports clinicians to share challenging cases around the world and enables the delivery of quicker results, which ultimately aid patient diagnoses.
Roche is one of 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. 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.
Founded in 1896, Roche continues to search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable contribution to society. Twenty-nine 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. Roche has been recognised as the Group Leader in sustainability within the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry eight years in a row by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices.
The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2015 employed more than 91,700 people worldwide. In 2015, Roche invested CHF 9.3 billion in R&D and posted sales of CHF 48.1 billion. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan.