An update on laboratory productivity with infectious disease assays on the Bayer ADVIA Centaur Immunoassay System.

New biological materials and advances in robotic and computer technologies have enabled the development of automated systems designed for high-performance infectious disease immunoassays and nucleic acid amplification. The fully automated, random access Bayer ADVIA Centaur immunoassay system, offering testing for fertility, therapeutic drug monitoring, infectious disease, allergy, cardiovascular, anemia, oncology, TDMs and thyroid, has been specifically designed for use in large-volume laboratories. New immunoassay tests have been developed for the ADVIA Centaur for the hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and HIV. These assays have undergone extensive performance evaluation using samples designated in the CTS in support of obtaining the Communautés Européennes (CE) mark for European market distribution. The ADVIA Centaur Immunoassay System represents an optimal platform for infectious disease testing because of its flexibility in allowing many different assay formats and protocols with multiple incubation steps and washes coupled with its combination of magnetic particle separation and chemiluminescent detection. Additional quality features of the system design are the sample integrity verification/check, the use of disposable sample pipette tips, clot detection, the ability for sensing liquid levels, the reagent aspiration verification/check, the automatic cascade reflex testing, repeat testing, and automated reagent inventory. The ADVIA Centaur has a maximum test throughput of 240 tests per hour. Minimal hands-on time is required as a result of the large onboard capacity for reagents and supplies combined with automated maintenance and monitoring features, which streamline operations and result in a walk-away through-put of up to 840 tests.