A First in North America: CDL Laboratories acquire the latest technology in laboratory analysis from Roche Diagnostics

MONTREAL, Jan. 15, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - True to their mission to provide high quality medical laboratory services to their customers using the most advanced technologies and by responding quickly and effectively to their needs, CDL Laboratories recently signed a contract with Roche Diagnostics Canada for the acquisition of a series of the most efficient robotic analyzers on the market. Equipped with the latest and most advanced technology, CDL will be the first laboratory in North America to operate with this new technology in order to respond effectively to their growing needs. The contract includes the acquisition of the new cobas 8100, Roche's latest technology in pre-analytics connected to four cobas 8000 analytical units and a cobas p 701 post-analytical refrigerated storage unit.

The answer to an increasing demand

"Our laboratory's modernization project accomplished in partnership with Roche Diagnostics Canada will be completed in the first quarter of 2015. It will allow us to be even more efficient and to improve response time and transmission of results to our customers while ensuring we have the capacity to support the company's expansion plans over the next years", explains Laurent Y. Amram, President of CDL Laboratories.

A long-standing partnership

"Our business partnership with CDL Laboratories has existed for over 20 years. Today we mark an important milestone," states Ian Parfrement, President and General Manager of Roche Diagnostics in Canada. "By implementing this first North American contract for the delivery of our latest technology in automation, the cobas 8100, we are pleased to be able to contribute to the success of this longstanding customer. Moreover, CDL Laboratories will become a technological showcase for us in Canada."

About the cobas 8100 automated workflow series 

The cobas 8100 is a unique robotic technology that supports fully automated and intelligent blood sample routing, from receipt to disposal. It performs the entire pre-analytical steps and integrates all the connected analyzers as well as post-analytical steps. Its innovative routing of samples provided with a novel two-level bi-directional transport system avoids traffic jams and prioritizes urgent tests in order to deliver rapid results. The complete automation of the process allows laboratory staff to both focus on value-added activities and ensure laboratory services of the highest quality and precision. Thanks to its scalable and modular design, the system can be adapted to suit the needs of each laboratory.

About CDL Laboratories

Founded in 1993, CDL Laboratories is recognized for their innovation, commitment to quality and customer service excellence. Open 24 hours a day and with nearly 100 employees, CDL is the leader in the industry of private laboratories in Quebec. They offer over 1,500 laboratory tests that benefit patients and their 1,000 clients including medical clinics, physicians' offices and pharmacological companies throughout the province of Quebec. CDL is the only private medical diagnostic laboratory in Quebec to obtain the College of American Pathologists' (CAP) accreditation. CAP is the world leader in quality assurance of laboratory diagnostics.

For more information, visit www.cdllaboratories.com.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world's largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and neuroscience. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management. Roche's personalised healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostics that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. Founded in 1896, Roche has been making important contributions to global health for more than a century. Twenty-four medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organisation Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and chemotherapy. In 2013 the Roche Group employed over 85,000 people worldwide, invested 8.7 billion Swiss francs in R&D and posted sales of 46.8 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. Founded in 1931, Roche Canada employs approximately 900 people across the country, with its pharmaceuticals head office located in Mississauga, Ontario and its diagnostics division based in Laval, Quebec. Roche Canada is actively involved in local communities, investing in charitable organizations and partnering with healthcare institutions across the country. For more information, visit www.rochecanada.com.

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SOURCE Roche Diagnostics

Mélanie Lussier, Manager, Communications, Roche Diagnostics Canada, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]