Thermo Fisher Scientific to leverage Tecan’s automation technology to enable scaled-up COVID-19 testing globally

Männedorf, Switzerland, August 5, 2020 – The Tecan Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: TECN) and Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, announced today a collaboration to enable scaled-up COVID-19 testing globally. Thermo Fisher Scientific is introducing a new highly automated, real-time PCR solution designed to analyze up to 6,000 samples in a single day to meet increasing global demand for COVID-19 testing. The high-throughput system enables laboratories to double or even triple their testing capacity to support global efforts to return communities back to work and school.

The system includes instruments of the Tecan Fluent Laboratory Workstation family, the highest performance platform within Tecan’s extensive portfolio of liquid handling solutions for laboratory automation and the Introspect software, an instrument and consumables usage analysis and reporting software.

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

Tecan CEO Dr. Achim von Leoprechting commented: “We are excited to partner with Thermo Fisher Scientific, supporting the efforts to further scale up COVID-19 testing capacities with our Fluent workstation and Introspect software. In this unprecedented time, we are passionately contributing to the international efforts to turn the tide on COVID-19 by empowering the scientific and clinical communities to accelerate research, aiding the discovery of treatments and scaling up testing globally.”

“Increased testing capability is an essential part of any community’s plan to reopen schools and businesses,” said Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Current approaches to scale up testing require substantial resources and personnel. This more automated, high-throughput solution will enable laboratories around the world to increase testing volumes and help the public get their test results faster.”

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 company will submit this new end-to-end solution to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and plans to secure additional registrations globally.