COVID-19
Increasing the amplitude of global COVID-19 testing The scale of the challenge for clinical diagnostics labs around the world quickly became apparent when the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic hit in 2020. Assays to identify the virus were rapidly developed to isolate patients and monitor the spread of the virus but, with shortages of reagents and labware, and the sheer number of samples expected, scaled-up testing was desperately needed. Thermo Fisher Scientific supplies labs with the qPCR equipment that was central to testing, but wanted to do more to support the global efforts, and so set about developing a solution for high throughput screening.
The Genetic Sciences Division of
have tremendous knowledge and
instrument processes each sample and
Thermo Fisher Scientific provides an
experience within the company, and I
dispenses it into four, barcoded 96-well
industry-leading portfolio of research
first turned to colleagues from the
deep well plates in a state where there is
products for genetic testing and, prior
Sample Preparation and Analytical
no longer any live virus. These plates are
to the COVID-19 pandemic, focused on
Instrumentation groups – who already
then transferred to the second Fluent
supporting scientists working in
had experience of automated
780, which can be housed in a standard
academic, pharmaceutical and
instruments and cooperative robots –
lab, and combines samples into a single
agricultural research. qPCR was a
to see what we could build internally. It
384-well plate for RNA extraction, qPCR
central pillar of the team’s capabilities
soon became apparent that we would
and analysis. A single LIMS system
and, with the technique becoming
need outside partners for certain
connects both stages, and stores all the
recognized as the gold standard for
elements of the project.”
sample tracking information from the
SARS-CoV-2 identification, the division
barcoded plates. The system gives labs
was called upon to support clinical
Elliot added: “We looked at a few
a full workflow capacity of 8,000
testing efforts. The first development
different liquid handling options and
samples a day.”
was the TaqPath™ COVID-19 Combo Kit
Tecan consistently came out top on our
– for labs to screen for the virus on their
list of requirements. Despite the
Developing intuitive software was a key
existing qPCR machines – and this
restrictions of the pandemic, the
part of the challenge, to ensure that
quickly gained Emergency Use
company could meet our needs for
users could easily manage the workflow.
Authorization (EUA) from the FDA.
supply and continuity for a large number
Robert explained: “Our colleagues from
However, customers were asking for
of instruments and, in particular, tips and
the Analytical Instrumentation group
more scale and the option to move from
plastics, which was a big issue at the
had previously programmed APIs to
testing hundreds of samples a day, to
time. However, most importantly, Tecan
interact with Tecan liquid handling
thousands. Elliot Shelton, General
was the only company to approach us
platforms and so our proprietary
Manager, and Robert Balog, Director of
with a true spirit of partnership that
Momentum™ software was already
R&D, of the division were enlisted to
would help us meet the challenges we
compatible with Fluent scripts. We then
produce a high throughput testing
were facing. It quickly rose up the ranks
worked with the Tecan team to develop
platform to meet this demand, and the
as our clear partner of choice.”
custom scripts and, where possible,
Amplitude™ Solution was born.
integrated Introspect™ software into the Robert continued: “Many of our
systems, depending on the customers’
Robert explained: “It was mid-April
customers had told us that they didn’t
IT set-ups and firewalls. The software
2020, and I was walking the dogs with
have large enough biosafety level 2
has been able to give us valuable
my family when I was contacted by the
(BSL-2) areas to house the complete
insights into how the systems are
president of the division about a
workflow, and so we designed the
working, and the data coming back to
completely new project for the
Amplitude Solution so that it could be
us from the field has been really helpful
company, a high throughput automated
adopted by labs of different sizes and
to find high priority issues and start to
solution that could carry out 10,000
layouts. For that reason, it is based on
quickly address any errors.”
COVID-19 tests a day. We had the EUA
two Fluent® Automation Workstations
for the TaqPath in manual mode as a
– both with Tecan Cavro liquid handling
The first installations of the Amplitude
starting point, and wanted to change as
pumps – set up as two distinct
Solution started in September 2020 and
little as possible when automating it so
platforms. A Fluent 1080 workstation
the customer response to the system
that we could get fast approval. We
handles live virus in a BSL-2 lab; the
has been overwhelming.
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TECAN JOURNAL 2/2021
