New System Helps Meet Increasing Demands for Larger Test Volumes

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics announces FDA clearance and U.S. commercial launch of its new DxC 700 AU chemistry analyzer. The new system brings together the advanced capabilities of two successful Beckman Coulter products – the simple intuitive design of the DxC analyzer and the robust throughput and workhorse capabilities of the AU analyzer – into one standardized platform designed to meet the needs of mid- to high-volume clinical laboratories.

“In today’s changing healthcare climate, laboratories are asked to elevate care and to reduce costs,” said John Blackwood, senior vice president of chemistry and immunoassay at Beckman Coulter Diagnostics. “With the DxC 700 AU analyzer, Beckman Coulter Diagnostics has created a truly innovative product by combining two time-proven technologies of DxC and AU. Additionally, by gaining further input from the clinical laboratory professionals, who are under pressure daily to produce faster results and manage resources more efficiently, additional features and benefits were identified and designed into the product.”

The DxC 700 AU chemistry analyzer reduces the number of test-processing steps by 30%, streamlining workflow for laboratory professionals. The reduction in steps is the result of powerful operating software, an all-new design and an intuitive user-interface that allow operators to spend less time on daily tasks and more time producing the quality results that empower better decision-making for better patient care.

“The new software is easy to learn and simple to operate with very little experience,” said Dustin Steger, B.S. (chemistry), Marshfield Labs®, an entity of Marshfield Clinic Health System in Wisconsin. Cassidy LeMay, B.S. (chemistry), also of Marshfield Labs, added, “The ability to load reagents ‘on-the-fly,’ while the instrument is running, saves me time and minimizes disruption to my workflow.”

Along with its efficiency, the DxC 700 AU analyzer reduces total cost of ownership by using fewer consumables compared to other industry same-class systems. Additionally, the system uses concentrated reagents, long-lasting ion-selective electrodes (ISEs), and non-disposable cuvettes to help laboratory specialists achieve financial goals and manage resources. The system is further designed for time- and cost-savings superior uptime through the unique Beckman Coulter “3 & 60" concept. The “3 & 60” concept gives laboratory staff the ability to change out replacement parts in three steps, within 60 seconds, with no tools.

The DxC 700 AU analyzer is part of Beckman Coulter’s Total Laboratory Solution, featuring a broader comprehensive portfolio that provides the flexibility to tailor systems based on a laboratory’s volume and space needs. Customers have access to an array of efficient solutions, including: the Power Link system, which connects small-footprint automation with chemistry and immunoassay analyzers; the Power Express, a multi-discipline, tracked-based automation solution; and, Remisol or Command Central, both of which offer robust information data management capabilities.

The DxC 700 AU system is currently available in the U.S., and will become available in other regions throughout the world in 2017.