Thermo Fisher Scientific Continues to Expand Response to COVID-19 with the New and High-Throughput Automated Molecular Diagnostic Testing Solution

Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, recently introduced a new, automated real-time PCR solution that can analyze up to 6,000 COVID-19 samples in a single day. The high-throughput system enables laboratories to double or even triple their testing capacity to support global efforts to return communities back to normal.

The Thermo Fisher Scientific Amplitude Solution is a molecular diagnostic testing system that leverages the company’s Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 7 Flex Real-time PCR instruments along with liquid handling products from Tecan Group, a global leader in laboratory automation and liquid handling. The modular solution delivers test results in a four-step process requiring minimal hands-on time, laboratory space and staffing resources.

“Ramping up testing capacity is a critical aspect of dealing with COVID-19. While each state conducts testing on different capacities, a new approach for scaling the testing volume is essential to safeguard human life. Our high-yielding, automated solution can test 6,000 samples per day with fewer resources to be deployed, significantly empowering laboratories worldwide to increase their testing volumes and get results faster. Improving testing capacity is the only probable solution until a promising vaccine arrives to bring the world back to normal,” said Amit Chopra, managing director, India and Middle East, Thermo Fisher Scientific.

The Amplitude Solution utilizes Thermo Fisher’s Applied Biosystems TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit, a fast, highly sensitive multiplex diagnostic test that contains the assays and controls needed for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The system also includes instruments from Tecan’s Fluent Laboratory Workstation family, the highest-performance platform within its extensive portfolio of liquid-handling solutions for laboratory automation. The Fluent instruments will be supplied through Tecan’s Partnering Business. The new offering customers will enter into a supply agreement with Thermo Fisher to secure an up-front, confirmed and reliable supply of reagents and consumables. Backed by dedicated, 24/7 customer support from Thermo Fisher, the end-to-end solution, including the reagents, consumables and test kits, is available from a single source.

The launch of the Amplitude Solution adds to the company’s significant COVID-19 response. Since developing one of the first diagnostic tests to be granted EUA in the U.S., Thermo Fisher has expanded diagnostic testing to more than 50 countries including India and now has the capacity to produce more than 10 million COVID-19 test reactions per week to meet the rising demand. The company has marshalled its leading scale and depth of capabilities, from collaborating with researchers and governments to expand testing capacity, to quickly scaling production to meet demand for sample collection products, to supporting more than 200 vaccine and therapy development and manufacturing projects around the world.