Waters and the Switzerland-based Tecan Group have entered into an agreement for Clinical Assay Platform to enable efficient throughput. Under the agreement, it will combine Tecan’s Freedom EVO liquid handling platform with Waters ACQUITY TQD liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer (LC/MS/MS) to automate sample preparation.

Waters will combine the technologies from both companies into a single, fully-supported analytical system solution that helps laboratories increase assay throughput and efficiency, improve profitability, and drive down overall assay costs. The firms announced the agreement at the annual Mass Spectrometry: Applications for the Clinical Laboratory (MSACL) held recently. Waters exhibited a number of its LC-MS based products including those for the therapeutic drug monitoring of the immunosuppressant drug Tacrolimus.

“The multi-step process of preparing samples for LC/MS/MS analyses remains a significant bottleneck and an opportunity for improvement in many laboratories. If there is one thing laboratory managers consistently ask for, it’s better, more automated sample preparation and analysis,” said Pat Martell, clinical marketing director, Waters Division.

“Combining sample preparation and analysis in a single unified platform facilitates the entire assay process and streamlines analyses significantly. By lowering assay costs and bringing a greater consistency to test results, laboratories can offer clients a higher level of service and responsiveness,” he added.

Tecan is a leading global provider of laboratory instruments and solutions in biopharmaceuticals, forensics and clinical diagnostics. The company specializes in the development, production and distribution of automated workflow solutions for laboratories in the life sciences sector. Its clients include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research departments, forensic and diagnostic laboratories. As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), it  is also a leader in developing and manufacturing instruments and components that are then distributed by partner companies.

Waters offers laboratory solutions for customer success. In 2010, it clocked  revenue of $1.64 billion in and has 5,400 employees.