The following is a wrap-up of news of interest during
the months of March to April 2001.University of Guelph Laboratory Services
Selects LabVantage Sapphire LIMS
Laboratory Services, a division of the University of Guelph, has selected
LabVantage Sapphire for its laboratory management automation needs. The
University of Guelph is one of Canada's largest providers of analytical
services, research, regulatory testing, consultative services and comprehensive
laboratory diagnostic services in support of agriculture and food excellence.
Sapphire's graphical Workflow Designer will allow the University of Guelph
to automate an extensive number of decisions in their various laboratory
operating areas based on specific customer requirements. This will allow
Laboratory Services to efficiently respond to client inquiries, address
internal workload pressures and significantly reduce the amount of manual
manipulation. The LIMS' ability to streamline manual processes and electronic
report generation is essential to reduce Guelph's operating costs while
they expand the number of customers to whom they provide services. The Sapphire
solution will also provide seamless interfaces to the existing quotation
and billing systems. For details, visit http://www.labvantage.com.
MDS Pharma Services Selects Innaphase's EP
Series to Speed Early Drug Development Services
InnaPhase Corporation has announced that MDS Pharma Services, a leading
contract research organization (CRO), has signed a global license agreement
to implement InnaPhase's Enterprise Pharmacology Series (EP2). EP2 will
be initially implemented in Montreal, Canada, and will subsequently be rolled
out in Lincoln, NB and various European sites. The EP Series is an enterprise
technology solution for data management and analysis, designed to consolidate
early drug development data and comply with FDA guidelines on electronic
records and signatures (21 CFR Part 11). It manages pharmacokinetic (PK)
data (how the body absorbs and metabolizes drugs) and pharmacodynamic (PD)
data (the drug's effect on the body). EP2 is the only protocol-driven system
available for managing early development data, and provides extensive data
analysis and reporting capabilities that expedite early drug development
processes. For details, visit http://www.innaphase.com.
NuGenesis Technologies Reaches Watermark 100
Customers
More than 7,000 scientists working for the bigggest names in the pharmaceutical
and other industries are using NuGenesis Technologies' Scientific Data Management
System (SDMS). The company has announced that it now has over 100 customer
companies using its suite of software and services. The software integrates
data generated by various scientific instruments and machines, compiling
it in a form that is easy to sort, access, and share with others within
an organization, thus reducing the time it takes for research. For details,
visit http://www.nugenesis.com.
NuGenesis Technologies Releases Web-Enabled
SDMS Solution
NuGenesis Technologies has released the NuGenesis Scientific Data Management
System (SDMS) 5.0, a web-enabled version of theire software suite designed
to electronically assist the laboratory in information collection, storage,
and retrieval by automatically aggregating data from disparate sources.
The 5.0 updagrade adds Web technology to the NuGensiss SDMS. It is also
designed with enterprise scalability in mind. Data stored within an Oracle
database can be searched using a standard browser, making data in projects
and reports readily accessible from any location in the world. For details,
visit http://www.nugenesis.com.
Scimcon Introduces Pre-Selection Consultancy
Service
The Cambridge-based scientific information management consultancy, Scimcon,
has introduced a new Pre-Selection Consultancy service for the laboratory,
scientific, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, environment and water and
process industries. The service is designed to offer impartial advice to
managers charged with project managing the selection and implementation
of LIMS. The specific services offered within this new package include:
Information Systems Strategy Review; Requirements Gathering; and, Vendor
Selection Support. For details, visit http://www.scimcon.com.
Thermo LabSystems and NWA Establish World-wide
Agreement
Thermo LabSystems and Northwest Analytical, Inc. (NWA) have announced
that they have established a world-wide OEM agreement. This agreement allows
Thermo LabSystems to offer NWA's Quality Analyst SPC/SQC functionality in
a variety of formats to suit their customers' needs. NWA's Quality Analyst
product functionality can be embedded into Thermo LabSystems' Nautilus LIMS
utilizing ActiveX technology. In addition, the complete QA off-line analysis
package can be used to analyze data from both Thermo LabSystems' Nautilus
and SampleManager LIMS products. For details, visit http://www.thermolabsystems.com.
Agilent Technologies and Caliper Introduce
New DNA 1000 Labchip Kit
Agilent Technologies Inc. and Caliper Technologies Corp. have announced
the introduction of the DNA 1000 LabChip kit for the automated analysis
of DNA fragments to determine their size and concentration. The new member
of the LabChip family allows molecular biologists to analyze PCR products
and small restriction digests with speed and precision. The DNA 1000 LabChip
kit combines the resolution of the DNA 500 LabChip kit with a size range
that is suited for most PCR fragments (25 to 1000 base pairs). As with the
other members of the LabChip family, the DNA 1000 LabChip kit utilizes internal
and external standards to automatically calculate the size (in base pairs)
and the concentration (in ng/microlitres) of each separated DNA fragment
of the sample -- no gel staining or scanning are required. For details,
visit http://www.agilent.com
Applied Biosystems Introduces ABI Prism BigDye
Terminators V 3.0
Applied Biosystems has announced the release of ABI Prism BigDye Terminators
V 3.0. This new BigDye chemistry increases basecalling accuracy for a wide
range of applications, including comparative, long-read, and de novo sequencing
projects. Enhancements include an improved set of dye terminators, which
impart evenly matched dye mobility characteristics, and optimized signal
balance, which combined provide strong signal at longer read lengths. For
details, visit http://www.appliedbiosystems.com
Applied Biosystems Announces New Marketing
and Product Development Organization
Applied Biosystems has announced an organizational relalignment which shifts
away from a business unit structure organized around specific technologies
to a more integrated marketing and product development strucuture. Concurrent
with this change, Stephen Lombardi has been named Vice President of Applications
and Products, and Robert Jones has been named Vice President of Platform
Products R&D. Both are new positions. Carolyn Martin has been named
to succeed Lombardi as Vice President of Field Operations of the Americas.
All three will report to Michael Hunkapiller, President of Applied Biosystems.
For details, visit http://www.applera.com
Applied Biosystems and BioVisioN Form Collaboration
and Launch European Reference Library for Proteomics and Peptidomics Technologies
Applied Biosystmes and BiuoVisioN GmbH & Co KG have announced they formed
a long-term strategic collaboration on the joint development of tools, techniques,
and applications for the growing proteomics market. They also intend to
destablish a European reference laboratory for Proteomics and Peptidomics
technologies at the BioVisioN headquarters. Peptidomics technology, pioneered
by BioVisioN, is the application of human peptide research for diagnosis
and treatment of human disease. For details, visit http://www.applera.com
or http://www.biovision.de.
Labtronics Releases Collect XL v5.0
Labtronics has announced the release of Collect XL v5.0, which provides
integration between laboratory instruments and Microsoft Excel. Data collection
and communication with lab instruments is controlled fromwithin an Excel
worksheet by the Collect XL floating toolbar. Several instruments can simultaneously
send data into one or multiple spreadsheets. The Collect XL date and time
macro automatically stamps incoming data with a date and time verification.
Collect XL includes the Labtronics Device Library, a collection of drivers
that are compatible with hundreds of common instruments including balances,
pH meters, ion meters, density meters, moisture analyzers, polarimeters,
refractometers, spectrophotometers, etc. For details, visit http://www.labtronics.com.
LIMS Summer School Set for June
The LIMS Summer School, sponsored by the LIMS Institute, will be held June
18-19, at the Omni William Penn hotel in Pittsburgh, PA, to provide LIMS
newcomers, professionals, and users with a unique opportunity to advance
their professional knowledge and skills. The courses will be taught by a
who's who of industry experts, and will address a range of needs, from introductory
level to advanced techniques. Topics covered run the gamut, from LIMS selection
to validation to laboratory workflow analysis. For more information and
to register, visit http://www.limsconference.org.
New Web Site for LIMS Institute
The LIMS Institute has a new web site at http://www.limsconference.org.
The site is the focal point for all LIMS Institute activities, including
the LIMS Summer School, the 2001 LIMS Conference, and the 2002 LIMS Conference.
For details, visit http://www.limsconference.org.
Agilent Technologies Announces Co-marketing
Agreement with Advanced Chemistry Development
Agilent Technologies Inc. has announced the signing of a co-marketing agreement
with Advanced Chemistry Development Inc. (ACD. The agreement provides for
the sharing of demonstration software, marketing materials, and sales leads
for mass spectrometry (MS) products from Agilent, and the ACD/SpecManager
software tools from ACD. Under the agreement, Agilent will equip its MS
applications specialists and demonstration facilities with ACD/SpecManager
software. ACD will have Agilent MS data system software available. This
will enable applications scientists from both companies to more effectively
demonstrate and support the combined capabilities of Agilent and ACD software
products. For details, visit http://www.agilent.com.
Windmill Software Announces New Software to
Read and Control Laboratory Instruments
Windmill Software has announced the release of a new instrument driver called
ComIML that handles almost all equipment that can be connected to the PC's
COM port. Bundled with Windmill's fully-featured data logging, charting
and control applications, the package makes it easy to computerise laboratory
measurements. Furthermore, users can send data to other Windows programs
like Excel spreadsheets or LIMS applications. Running under Windows 95,
98, NT or 2000, ComIML can handle instruments communicating over RS-232,
RS-485, RS-422 and Modbu, and send ASCII or binary data. The majority of
serial instruments are supported, including gas analysers, pH transmitters,
titrators, particle analysers, conductivity meters, laboratory scales, GPS
and sonar. Users can interface devices from many different manufacturers,
such as A&D, Ashtec, Bruel & Kjaer, Ecom, Funaro, Mettler Toledo,
Motorola, Molyteck, Omron, Parallax, Sartorius, Siemens and Telegan. The
software is complete with free technical support for life, and the ability
to try before you buy. The Windmill package costs £145 (around US$210
or 230 Euros). For more detail, visit http://www.windmillsoft.com/acatalog/comiml.html.
PerkinElmer Instruments Completes Acquisition
of Analytical Automation Specialists
PerkinElmer Instruments has successfully completed its acquisition of
Analytical Automation Specialists, Inc. (AAS), a leading supplier of LIMS
that streamline laboratory processes and reporting. The acquisition expands
PerkinElmer's capabilities in laboratory informatics, providing a valuable
tool for improving laboratory productivity. AAS develops and distributes
the LabWorks system, a full-featured LIMS, with over 300 installations in
North America. The LabWorks offering provides a three-tier client/server
approach that is scaleable to customer needs from small laboratories to
large, multi-location enterprises. Strategic Directions International, Inc.,
consistently ranks the LabWorks system number one in customer satisfaction
in its LIMS industry reports. For details, visit http://www.perkinelmer.com.
Labtronics Announces New Distribution Partner
for LimsLink
Labtronics has announced a new partnership with Telecation to distribute
LimsLink as the complete instrument interfacing software solution for Telecation's
Aspen and Conifer LIMS. With a sophisticated data parser, integrated spreadsheet,
and flexible reporting system, LimsLink contains all the tools needed to
communicate bi-directionally between the LIMS and laboratory instrumentation.
For details, visit http://www.labtronics.com.
LabVantage Expands Position in Growing CRO
Market
LabVantage Solutions, Inc. has announced that it continues to expand its
position in the growing Contract Research Organization (CRO) market. According
to the latest survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Outsourcing Management
Association, outsourcing spending by pharmaceutical companies increased
significantly in 2000 from 1999. Ninety percent of the survey's participants
reported increased outsourcing spending in 2000 and expect spending on CROs
to continue to grow in 2001. As the CRO market has grown, they have begun
to see a much more focused approach to solution offerings. The major success
factor for solution providers is based on providing more market-specific,
high-performance technology with an expandable capacity and quicker delivery
speed. The survey also indicated that CROs need tools to help them integrate
their data to speed their processes and to connect with their customers
outside of the laboratory. "Contract research organizations are a vital
resource in an industry that continues to look for ways to improve customer
service capabilities, while reducing operating costs," said Scott Deutsch,
vice president, global marketing for LabVantage. "Traditional labs
need to look at their ability to deliver information to their virtual customers
via their LAN, WAN or the Internet without all of the costs and overhead
associated with older client/server environments." LabVantage enables
the CRO market to meet its aggressive business and technology requirements
by equipping laboratories with a scalable, easy-to-configure automation
solution through their Sapphire 3.0 LIMS, a 100-percent browser-based solution
that does not require Citrix servers or any plug-ins or applets to be downloaded
to provide browser-based functionality. For details, visit http://www.labvantage.com.
Accelerated Technology Laboratories Inc. Joins
Compaq Agent Program
Accelerated Technology Laboratories, Inc. (ATL) has announced its new partnership
with Compaq Computers, as part of their agent program. ATL's commitment
to high quality service was the impetus to become an agent with Compaq.
Compaq is renown for its award-winning products, services and solutions.
ATL makes Sample Master Pro LIMS. Through the agreement, ATL can provide
a total data management solution, ranging from LIMS software, hardware and
instrument integration. ATL is also a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider
and ORACLE Business Alliance Partner. For details, visit http://www.atlab.com.
Accelerated Technology Laboratories Inc. Announces
Alliance with BioLink Technologies
Accelerated Technology Laboratories Inc. (ATL) has partnered with BioLink
to offer its customers a breakthrough product, the U-Match BioLink Mouse,
a standard, two-button computer mouse with a small fingerprint scanning
device embedded in it. This device functions as a lock on a computer or
a network and it can only be accessed by authorized persons. This innovative
product allows 100 percent positive verification of the end user in a local
network or Internet environment through its BioLink technology. Most importantly,
the user's fingerprint is never captured. Instead, the U-Match BioLink Mouse
creates a secure template that cannot be replicated into a user's fingerprint.
For details, visit http://www.atlab.com.
Orad Logistic Products Signs Reseller Agreement
for Guardess' Quality Navigator LIMS
Guardess has announced an extension of a reseller agreement with Orad Logistic
Products BV. Orad has all rights of MAX, a SME-oriented, NT-based, ERP System
targeted to the discrete manufacturing industry, for (mainland) Europe and
South-Africa. Orad assists companies in the SME segment in the optimization
of their business and logistic processes. Started on a local level in the
Netherlands, the value-added reseller agreement now covers almost the whole
of Europe and South-Africa. The Guardess Product Suite for Quality Management,
including Quality Navigator LIMS, will be included in Orad's and its affiliate
companies' offering to existing and new MAX customers in Belgium, Croatia,
Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Spain and Turkey.
For details, visit http://www.guardess.com.
North West Water Selects Scimcon for Consultancy
North West Water (http://www.nww.co.uk)
has appointed the scientific information management consultancy, Scimcon,
to aid with drawing up requirements and the selection of a new LIMS. Serving
seven million domestic users in the North West of England and 200,000 business
customers, North West Water covers 14,000 km geographically. The LIMS is
used to manage the samples and information processed through the laboratories.
The samples are collected at sample points throughout the region according
to stringent and regular sampling plans. The LIMS allows the water company
to manage their resources and ensure all sample testing complies with the
Environment Agency, Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), UKAS exacting QA
specifications. Scimcon will provide advice on: Validation of the system;
Requirements gathering; Request for proposal generation; and, Vendor selection.
For details, visit http://www.scimcon.com.
NorthWest Analytical Announces New LIMS Integration
Solutions
NorthWest Analytical (NWA) has announced several new LIMS integration solutions
with their Quality Analyst software, including:
- integration with L.I.M.S. USA's StarLIMS SPC module. The StarLIMS module
utilizes NWA's ActiveX technology, allowing users to create their own on-line
Quality Analyst SPC analysis using a set of configurable functions.
- integration with LabWare's LIMS for SQC charting and analysis. By integrating
with NWA's Quality Analyst statistical quality control (SQC) capabilities,
the LIMS now provides another way to monitor and validate analytical procedures
using control charts and statistical analysis.
- integration with Autoscribe's Matrix Plus LIMS. With the new generation
interface to the Matrix Plus LIMS, Autoscribe users can now utilize ActiveX
technology to embed the Quality Analysts' graphical and statistical functions
within screens accessed from directly within Matrix Plus LIMS.
- integration with ChemWare's Horizon LIMS. Now available as an SPC add-in
to the Horizon LIMS that provides a user-configurable enterprise-wide solution
by combining powerful report-writing options and interfacing tools with
the fully integrated Quality Analyst add-in called Horizon Statistical Analysis.
For additional details on any of the above, visit http://www.nwasoft.com.
NuGenesis Technologies Announces New Partnerships
and Strategic Alliances
Nugenesis Technologies has announced a string of new partnerships and strategic
alliances in the past few weeks, including the following:
- a strategic alliance to improve the performance of R&D in the Pharmaceutical
and Life Sciences Industries with PA Consulting Group. The companies will
work with customers to capture the value of scientific data as a corporate
asset by implementing technology to enhance e-business enabled R&D.
- a distribution agreement with Sumisho Electronics Co, Ltd (SSE). SSE will
represent and resell NuGenesis Technologies' suite of products in Japan.
- a collaboration with First Consulting Group (FCG) to provide integrated
electronic document assembly. The companies will provide pharmaceutical
organizations with a seamless solution for the incorporation of analytical
content into the Electronic Document Management process by integrating NuGenesis'
SDMS software with Documentum's eContent Server to give mutual customers
a web-enabled document creation process for this content.
- an integration partnership with VelQuest, Inc. to integrate NuGenesis'
SDMS software with the VelQuest ePMC (electronic Process Management and
Compliance) platform. The partnership delivers a comprehensive GMP solution
to eliminate paper from the scientific data management process.
In addition, NuGenesis has expanded its data management offerings for the
pharmaceutical industry with support for IBM and Tivoli systems. Researchers
can now send their output data to the Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) backup
and archive product as well as take advantage of IBM's high performance
and highly scaleable 3466 and AIX operating system with Tivoli Network Storage
Manager (NSM) software for processing and storage. For details on any of
the above, visit, http://www.nugenesis.com.
Indiana University Announces Plans to Offer
a Graduate Program in LIMS
The School of Informatics at Indiana University has recently announced plans
to offer a graduate program in LIMS. Dr. Douglas Perry, Associate Dean for
Graduate Studies and Research in the School of Informatics, made a brief
presentation about the LIMS progeram at Pittcon. Beginning in the fall of
2001, the school will offer four masters degrees in bioinformatics, chemical
informatics, health informatics, and human computer interaction. The School
of Informatics is also considering establishing a graduate rprogram offering
an M.S. in LIMS, designed for students with undergraduate degrees in physical
or life science who want to build on their science education with advanced
training in LIMS. For details, visit http://informatics.indiana.edu.
Thermo LabSystems Acquires Galactic Industries
Corporation
In a move that significantly enhances its position in the global laboratory
data management market, Thermo LabSystems announces that it has acquired
Galactic Industries Corporation, the spectroscopy software solutions company.
From February 26, 2001, Galactic Industries has become Thermo Galactic and
joins Thermo LabSystems as part of the Informatics Division of Thermo Electron's
Life Sciences Sector. The newly-formed Thermo Galactic will continue to
develop its successful desktop spectroscopy solutions and to service customers
from its Salem, New Hampshire offices. Galactic's products are used worldwide
in the pharmaceutical, chemical, academic, consumer products, and food industries.
Building on Galactic technology, Thermo LabSystems will be introducing the
new eRecordManager solution, which will offer full analytical data management,
reporting and archival functionalities. eRecordManager will feature full
application support for compliance with FDA's Ruling 21 CFR Part 11. "The
two businesses share a number of common corporate customers, who I anticipate
will feel very positive about this development," commented Don Kuehl,
President, Thermo Galactic. "Users of Galactic software will benefit
from even closer integration with industry leading LIMS and other informatics
solutions. Also, our customers can be assured by the large corporate commitment
of Thermo Electron." Attendees at Pittcon 2001 can preview eRecordManager
on Booth #4552, March 5-8. For more information, visit http://www.thermolabsystems.com.
RTS Enabling Technology Promotes Dennis LeTendre
to President
RTS Enabling Technology has chosen Dennis LeTendre as its new president,
effective March 3, 2001. LeTendre joined RTS Enabling Technology in 1999,
serving as Vice-President. He was appointed to the Board of Directors in
May 2000. Under his leadership, the LIMS division successfully developed
Version 2.0 of RTS Enabling Technology's LIMS application, C14LIMS. Outgoing
President Dr. Mario Fiori praised LeTendre, stating "Dennis is the
ideal candidate for this position. His leadership and strategic planning
skills are unmatched. RTS Enabling Technology can look forward to many great
things with Dennis at the helm." LeTendre has a B.S. in electronic
engineering from the University of Florida, and an MBA (with an emphasis
in Chemical Manufacturing and Management) from Rice University. He has over
20 years of experience in the laboratory automation field. For details,
visit http://www.enabletech.com.
IDWR Database Migration Project Successfully
Completed
On February 23, the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) held
a banquet to announce the successful completion of its Database Migration
Project, and to recognize RTS Enabling Technology for their role in the
project. The IDWR Database Migration Project, a joint effort between the
IDWR and RTS Enabling Technology, involved moving the IDWR's substantial
amount of data from an old database to a new SQL database. In addition,
a web interface was built to enable easier public access to the data, as
well as provide the ability to conduct business over the Internet. For details,
visit http://www.enabletech.com.
Innaphase Corporation Announces Acquisition
of Pharmaceutical Software Systems, Inc.
InnaPhase Corporation, a leading provider of software solutions for early
pharmaceutical research and development, announced the acquisition of Pharmaceutical
Software Systems, Inc. (PSS), provider of a protocol-driven, GLP-compliant,
LIMS for DMPK/Bioanalytical applications. PSS's LIMS, called Watson, fully
supports and facilitates the drug development process during pharmacokinetic
and drug metabolism/ bioanalytical studies. With the acquisition of PSS,
InnaPhase is now positioned as the only provider in the world of protocol-driven
systems offering an end-to-end solution for early drug development (EDD)
processes, including laboratory sample management, PK/PD analysis, simulation
and integrated reporting, all within a tightly controlled GLP framework.
The Watson program manages the entire drug study cycle from study design,
assay design, sample handling, shipment tracking and analytical run planning.
It also controls instrument interfaces and regression of standards, analytical
performance reports, GLP evaluation, basic PK calculations, sample results
in both table and graph formats, and the creation of flexible user defined
reports. "A strategic partnership forged in 1999 allowed InnaPhase
and PSS to share information and technology for early drug development"
said Peter J.D. Ryan, President and CEO of InnaPhase Corporation. "This
relationship worked so well that both companies felt we could better apply
our vision for technology and offer our customers much higher value as a
combined company. With this acquisition and the recent acquisition of SciSoft,
a former software division of Phoenix International, InnaPhase is able to
leverage substantial customer feedback with our extensive technology in
both the USA and EC to ensure that our solutions meet all our customers
needs and stay ahead of competition." For more details, visit http://www.innaphase.com
LION Bioscience Selects Thermo Labsystems'
Nautilus LIMS
Thermo LabSystems has announced that LION Bioscience AG (Heidelberg, Germany)
has selected its Nautilus LIMS for implementation at its laboratories. LION
is recognized as a global leader in the fields of genomics and bio-informatics.
Nautilus LIMS is being implemented at LION's Heidelberg facility in a move
to manage more efficiently the volume, diversity, and complexity of genomic
data generated by automated high-throughput technologies. As part of the
project, Thermo LabSystems is working with LION to install and configure
Nautilus to meet their specific requirements. The project will involve the
integration of Nautilus with LION's arraySCOUT software solution for analysis
of gene expression. The agreement was finalized in December 2000 and the
system is scheduled to go live in June 2001. Among Nautilus' features that
particularly attracted LION was its 'Workflow' functionality, allowing users
to map their own procedures graphically onto the LIMS. Easy subsequent modification
to workflows in Nautilus was a further feature popular among LION's users.
Their selection team was also impressed by Nautilus' ability to integrate
easily with their laboratory instrumentation and the ability of the system
to track aliquot to the individual well on a microtitre plate. For more
information visit http://www.thermolabsystems.com.
Kraft Foods North America to Equip North
American Plants with Compex's Unilab 4 LIMS
Compex has announced a major award by Kraft Foods. Kraft has been using
Compex LIMS, Unilab 4 and its predecessor, Unilab 3 for the past three years
in approximately 25 plants and is now rolling out Unilab to all its North
American facilities. Unilab 4 iLIMS is specifically designed for the Food
and CPG industry and for independent and service labs specialized in quality
control, to manage the workflow in a laboratory and to optimize the collection,
analysis, retrieval and reporting of laboratory data. Fred Sherriff, VP
Operations System of Kraft Foods, said,: "We only work with suppliers
that understand our business needs. Compex understands the obligations and
requirements of a large food manufacturer and has demonstrated that they
can provide high-quality products and service. Unilab 4 LIMS meets our requirements
and is proven to be very flexible and configurable which is why we made
the decision to put Unilab 4 in all our plants in North America." Compex
specializes in high-end solutions for laboratories and batch processing
industries. In Compex's vision, plant activities should be coordinated as
part of the supply chain and Compex offers solutions that are complementary
to other enterprise systems such as ERP and OCS. Large projects are common
for Compex as demonstrated by becoming the standard at companies such as
Unilever, Interbrew, Cargill Europe, and now Kraft Foods North America.
For more information, visit http://www.compex-group.com.
New Version of Avatar's LABTrack Electronic
Lab Notebook Released with Digital Notary Service
A new version of Avatar Consulting's LABTrack electronic lab notebook has
been released that provides full legal protection well beyond the requirements
of FDA's 21 CFR Part 11. Surety.com's digital notary service has now been
incorporated into the LABTrack electronic lab notebook to provide a security
feature that legally protects research data for patent and intellectual
property rights. The latest version of LABTrack's electronic lab notebook
allows the contents to be digitally notarized and timestamped using a new
LABSafe feature. Using Surety.com's patented Digital Notary Service, LABTrack
users can now legally defend their research for patent and intellectual
property rights, regulatory compliance, and work in other legal settings
to prove that the contents of the notebook pages have not been modified.
By using Digital Notary Service, scientists and researchers in the biotech,
pharmaceutical, and chemical industries will now be able to digitally notarize
and timestamp their data. Digital Notary Service notarizes the digital content
by creating a small digital fingerprint of the target data and sending the
fingerprint to Surety.com to be registered and timestamped. A unique Digital
Notary Record is then sent back and stored by LABTrack for later use in
validating the notarization. LABTrack users digitally notarizing their data
can be assured their proprietary data is protected because a digital fingerprint
is a one-way identifier. No part of the original data record or file can
be reconstructed from its fingerprint. Also, by sending only the fingerprint,
proprietary or sensitive data never leaves the customer premises. For more
information, visit http://www.labtrack.com
or http://www.surety.com
LabVantage Introduces LabVantage Sapphire
3.0
LabVantage Solutions, Inc. has announced the introduction of Version 3.0
of its LabVantage Sapphire information management software solution. "The
announcement of Sapphire 3.0 greatly raises the technology bar for our marketplace,"
said Jim Aurelio, president, LabVantage Solutions. "Our focus on providing
world-class solutions for today's leading laboratories greatly increases
our ability to enable our customers to execute their business objectives.
The laboratory community is going through dramatic changes, and LabVantage
is uniquely positioned to provide cost-effective solutions that address
today's technology requirements. Our Sapphire 3.0 solution will facilitate
the sharing of critical information from the laboratory to the people outside
of the lab who need this information to make timely decisions."
Sapphire 3.0 is able to assist companies in dramatically reducing the two
biggest business impediments -- re-training personnel and loss of productivity
while transitioning to a new solution. Sapphire 3.0 provides fully functioning
solutions that can be applied immediately. Most importantly, these fully
functioning solutions can be rapidly configured to meet the unique requirements
of each laboratory environment. Finally, Sapphire 3.0 embraces eBusiness
technology initiatives such as streamlining the supply chain and reducing
IT infrastructure costs.
Sapphire 3.0 is 100 percent browser-based and does not require any plug-ins
or applets to be downloaded -- like most client/server applications -- to
provide browser-based functionality. Sapphire 3.0's browser-based architecture
provides extensive benefits to customers who do not have the desire to access
their laboratory data over the Internet. As a result, client-side maintenance
costs and concerns -- such as software installation, hardware capability,
and upgrades -- are eliminated since all system information is managed by
powerful, scalable server technology. In addition, not only have extensive
reporting capabilities been added, but also the Sapphire 3.0 interface was
designed with two key design criteria: first, access to functionality must
be self-evident, and second, the user must be able to execute a desired
task with a single click. Other features include modules for stability and
scheduling, For more information visit the LabVantage booth at Pittcon or
http://www.labvantage.com.
Applied Biosystems Announces New Software
and Hardware for the API QSTAR Pulsar LC/MS/MS System
Applied Biosystems has announced the first new shipments of its breakthrough
orthogonal MALDI ion source and has introduced its Analyst and BioAnalyst
software packages for the API QSTAR Pulsar LC/MS/MS system. Analyst software
is a new Windows NT platform-based data acquisition package for the QSTAR
system. Information Dependent Acquisition (IDA) is a key feature of the
software that enables automatic switching from MS to MS/MS during capillary
LC/MS/MS analyses for protein identification. BioAnalyst data processing
software complements Analyst software for automated protein identification
and characterization. BioAnalyst software provides routine automated processing
of mass spectral data using PepSea database search algorithms. For more
information, visit http://www.applera.com.
Applied Biosystems Commercializes ICAT Reagent
Technology
Applied Biosystems has announced that its ICAT Reagent Technology is now
available for scientists performing proteomics. These isotope encoded affinity
tag reagents provide researchers with a breakthrough approach for protein
expression profiling. ICAT reagents provide researchers with a powerful,
new method for preparing complex samples for mass spectrometry (MS) analysis
to identify component proteins and determine their relative expression levels.
Using the ICAT reagents, researchers can now easily compare the expression
level of proteins from two samples, such as from normal and diseased cells,
which could indicate if a given protein is up- or down-regulated. This information
can help discover targets for therapeutic intervention, or markers for diagnostic
or toxicity studies. For more informaiton, visit http://www.applera.com.
ChemIndustry.com Builds International User
Base
Chemindustry.com now receives 52% of traffic from outside the U.S. A provider
of web-based search services for the chemical and related industries, Chemindustry.com
is available in English at http://www.chemindustry.com, in Chinese (china.chemindustry.com),
French (fr.chemindustry.com), and German (de.cheminduustry.com) languages.
About 30% of all traffic comes from Asia. For more information, visit http://www.chemindustry.com.
ThermoQuest Analytical Products Group Changes
Name to Thermo Finnigan
ThermoQuest Analytical Products Group has announced that it has changed
its name to Thermo Finnigan as part of a new corporate identity strategy
initiated by its parent company Thermo Electron Corporation. Thermo Electron
developed the sterategy of adding the "Thermo" prefix to all of
its businesses in order to establish a strong affiliation between its 80-plus
globally recognized brands and to promote Thermo Electron as a single, unified
company. Bringing the Fininigan name to the fore further strengthens the
respected brand name used by the division. Thermo Finnigan designs and manufactures
chromatography equipment, mass spectroscopy instruments, and data management
systems that can be fully integrated to provide targeted solutions for a
wide variety of applications, including proteomics, environmental and pharmaceutical
research. For more informaiton, visit http://www.thermofinnigan.com.
***** PITTCON 2001 NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
*****
Accelerated Technology Laboratories, Inc. (ATL) demonstrated their SampleMaster
2000, Access 2000, and SampleMaster Pro 2000 LIMS solutions, as well as
ScreenIT for high throughput screening laboratories. Features include quoting,
invoicing, support for barcodes, user-configurable QA/QC, instrument interfacing,
chemical inventory, instrument maintenance, and more. ATL also highlighted
their Specimen Gate LIMS for clinical testing laboratories. For details,
visit http://www.atlab.com.
Agilent Technologies introduced the Agilent Cerity Networked Data
System for Pharmaceutical QA/QC. This networked data system (NDS) is designed
for laboratory personnel involved in routine quality assurance (QA) and
quality control (QC) testing in the pharmaceutical industry where procedures
and documentation must be followed according to the requirements of GLP,
cGMP, GAMP, ISO 17025, and other regulations and quality standards. Cerity
NDS for Pharmaceutical QA/QC is the second member of the Cerity NDS family
to be released. The Cerity NDS family is based on industry standards, such
as Windows NT, and object-related database management systems. For more
information, visit http://www.agilent.com.
Analytical Automation Specialists (AAS) announced the sale of their
company to PerkinElmer (PE), a likely fit as PE has been without a LIMS
since the sale and subsequent split of the company during the EG&G acquisition,
and AAS has been focused on the U.S. market due to the modest size of their
sales force. No longer. PE acquired AAS because of its multi-vendor capability,
scalable architecture, and top-notch customer service which fit in with
the company's long range plans to provide customers with an end-to-end information
management solution in the lab. Over the next year, PE plans to roll out
the LIMS worldwide using the PE sales force. Meanwhile, AAS highlighted
their LabWorks family of LIMS, including their LabWorks Enterprise three-tier
client/server software solutions: LabWorks Enterprise Access, LabWorks Enterprise
SQL Server, and LabWorks Enterprise Oracle Server. The LabWorks Enterprise
Desktop was demonstrated. This LIMS solution is ODBC-compliant and 100%
Windows compatible. For details, visit http://www.labworks.com.
Applied Biosystems (formerly Perkin-Elmer Biosystems) demonstrated
version 4.0 of their SQL*LIMS solution for the life sciences and research
marketplaces as well as their SQL*GT LIMS for genomic and proteomic laboratories.
Introduced in 1999, SQL*LIMS 4.0 includes support for Oracle 8i (Internet)
and the NT server platform. It incorporates advanced features and functionality
for automated data management and analysis, including quick-method builder,
a Windows Explorer-type interface for viewing sample hierarchy, and quick
links between data and SOP information. Full versioning, audit trail, and
electronic signature are included to help companies in regulated industries
comply with the requirements of 21 CFR 11. There are specialized software
modules for Stability Study Management and Product Manufacturing. SQL*GT
is the company's solution for the genomics market. It enables increased
laboratory productivity by tracking the workflow process from sample receipt
to data analysis. For details, visit http://www.applera.com.
Autoscribe/Zumatrix showcased their new version 3.02 Matrix Plus
LIMS and a new Matrix 2000 Stability Data Management system along with their
Matrix Enterprise and SampleTracker solutions. Matrix LIMS 3.02 features
a 32 bit architecture that leverages the capabilities of the latest versions
of Windows. Improved ODBC drivers, better development tools, and closer
integration with web and Active X technologies are a few of the capabilities.
Matrix 2000 Stability Data Management System was new to the show and is
promoted as more than an add-on module for the LIMS. It provides a special
protocol design, editing and approval interface; study and batch relationships;
storage management with inventory tracking; automated or manual registration
of samples into LIMS for testing; report and label generation; and much
more. Matrix Enterprise is designed to meet the needs of global, multi-site
organizations, allowing users at any locations to access a common database
with performance exceeding or equal to LAN-based systems with separate servers
at each site. SampleTracker is an affordable alternative to a full-function
LIMS for smaller laboratories or departments. It provides the basics: sample
registration, resource allocation, test status recording, reporting and
audit trail, while being fully upgradeable to Matrix Plus LIMS. For details,
visit http://www.autoscribe.co.uk.
Baytek International highlighted their WinBLISS LIMS and AAIM (Advanced
Automation and Instrument Management) solutions as well as new eLIMS services.
WinBLISS LIMS offers customization tools and programs, a calculations editor
that can store calculations by test type, and web technology functions to
query as well as interact with the LIMS. Additional features include off-line
sample testing to validate samples were added to the BLISS (Baytek Laboratory
Information Supervisory System) LIMS, instrument interfacing, statistical
quality control, highly integrated Certificates of Analysis (COAs), electronic
fax interface, audit trail, process system interfaces, and enterprise interfaces
such as SAP. A lab data automation solution, AAIM polls the LIMS to determine
which samples need to be run, then builds a priority list that is provided
to the chemist to review before posting the list back to the LIMS for processing.
The new eLIMS services deliver custom software development by utilizing
web technologies to deliver a customized LIMS solution that addresses the
specific requirements of the lab. A free 30-day downloadable trial version
is available on the web at http://webboss.baytek-lims.com/network.
Beckman Coulter introduced new LabManager iLIMS software that
incorporates navigation advances and innovative features for flexibility
and ease of use. The reengineered LabManager iLIMS now includes the option
to access the system from an Internet web browser or a client/server Microsoft
Outlook-styled user interface. The system is a native Oracle8 application
that provides complete sample, test, and data management on a Windows NT/2000
or HP9000 server. The system also incorporates Microsoft Visual Basic which
gives users the power to easily automate tasks and customize applications,
calculations, data presentation formats, and data entry forms. In addition,
LabManager iLIMS supports the Crystal Reports tool that enables users to
design custom reports.
Beckman Coulter also highlighted their other LIMS solutions for biomedical,
biopharmaceutical, academic, and research laboratories at both conferences,
including QuickStart LIMS, LabManager C/S (client/server) LIMS, and a new
version 1.2 of their Pinnacle Chromatography Data System (CDS). The new
Pinnacle CDS includes features which help pharmaceutical companies meet
the requirements of the FDA's 21 CFR Part 11 electronic signatures and records
rule. Version 1.2 can maintain an audit trail for every document, recording
time, full user name, certified electronic signature, and old/new values
for each change. For details, visit http://www.beckmancoulter.com/LIMS.
Blaze Systems Corporation demonstrated their new BlazeLIMS Enterprise
Plus for Windows NT/2000 and the launch of BlazeLIMS HandHeld, their new
portable laboratory computing solution. BlazeLIMS Enterprise Plus is a comprehensive
and flexible LIMS designed to improve laboratory productivity through a
complete suite of solutions for laboratory software automation. This latest
version, Enterprise Plus, was designed for Quality Control (QC) and pharmaceutical
applications which utilize Windows NT/2000. The BlazeLIMS HandHeld solution
utilizes a wireless Compaq PC to access the LIMS through a standard web
browser interface. With the HandHeld LIMS, users can access and input data
to the LIMS from anywhere the wireless link allows. Also demonstrated was
the BlazeLIMS for Linux solution in which a BlazeLIMS Server is supported
on Linux, making it an ideal laboratory solution for customers requiring
a cost-effective, reliable LIMS. For details, visit http://www.blazesystems.com.
ChemWare highlighted version 6.1 of their Horizon Oracle-based LIMS
for environmental, water quality, drugs of abuse, chemical demilitarization,
and toxicology laboratories at both conferences. Version 6.1 supports a
number of new configuration capabilities for samples tracking and test management.
User-configurable without custom programming, Horizon LIMS is pre-configured
with regulatory methods and combines report writing and interfacing tools
with full COC and security, financials, turnkey interfaces, online data
review, email remote web access, and more. Version 6.1 enhancements include
a totally automated email functionality that enables automatic results notification,
as well as voice-recording for specific applications. In addition, ChemWare
announced the integration of NWA Quality Analyst software with the Horizon
LIMS. Incorporating NWA Quality Analyst into Horizon provides users with
more advanced quality control charting, statistical and graphical analysis
options. The user accesses Quality Analyst features directly from the LIMS'
standard menus and windows, which have been tailored to provide simple query
transactions, filters and output format controls. For details, visit http://www.chemware.com.
Compex USA showcased their new UniLab 4i LIMS and their speCX solution.
Touted as a next generation LIMS, UniLab 4i not only offers capabilities
such as SPC/QC functions, traceability, sample planning, reporting, microbiology
applications, and multi-lab support, but also ads the ability to interface
the LIMS to the Intranet and to the company's Extranet. Capabilities include
web reporting, which simplifies information distribution to internal and
external customers, and web input, which can automatically receive incoming
data set to the company's standards, format and procedures. This means that
analysis requests and results can be received via the Internet. Unilab LIMS
have been installed in numerous countries, and support ISO 9000, EN 46000,
and GLP environments. speCX is a specification management system
that can be integrated with the LIMS or used as a standalone. For details,
visit http://www.compex-group.com.
CREON*Lab*Control delivers a full range of lab products from instrument
software to LIMS to specification and formula management. Featured during
Pittcon were their Q-DIS (Quality Data Information System) LIMS and Spectacle-XS
solutions. Q-DIS is a complete workflow and information management solution
that can be used with application-specific modules that include Q-DIS Stability,
Q-DIS Complaints, Q-DIS/AQV, Q-DIS Recipe, Q-DIS Raw Data Archiving, Q-DIS/QM,
and Q-DIS/R for Raw Data. Spectacle is a scientific set of analytical tools
for viewing and manipulating spectra, chromatograms, or 3D data sets from
different sources at the same time. For details, visit http://www.creonlabcontrol.com.
Dynamic Databases attended Pittcon for the first time to demonstrate
their Lab Master 2001 LIMS. A menu-controlled relational database, Lab Master
2001 is an easy-to-use, economical LIMS solution that can be used on a standalone
PC or network. New enhancements to sample login, work load, job status,
results entry, and reporting are included in the latest version. For example,
the sample login enhancements include the ability to double-click setup
fields to access data, assignment of multiple report recipients for each
login, sample priority settings, assignment of PO# at login, the ability
to add items to setup lists on the fly, and much more. For details, visit
http://www.dynamicdatabases.com.
Guardess attended Pittcon for the first time under their new name
and highlighted their Quality Navigator LIMS, which provides more control
and more functionality based around specification handling and version control
than the previous Delaware Computing version. Quality Navigator LIMS utilizes
Flexibutes, a way of adding fields and terminology to screens, to streamline
the LIMS in the manufacturing environment. Flexibutes uses predefined rules
and works with Dynamic Business Rules (DBR) to deliver an ideal solution
for the manufacturing environment; it is also applicable to pharmaceutical
QA applications. Quality Navigator LIMS is all Microsoft technology-based.
For details, visit http://www.guardess.com.
LabLynx (formerly known as Atlanta Systems Consultants) was separated
from the parent organization during the past year into a new division dedicated
to LIMS. At Pittcon, they demonstrated a new line of their LabLynx LIMS
solution called e-LAB. e-Lab applications are web browser-based solutions
that are available as an ASP (Application Service Provider) solution, meaning
that the server is at LabLynx's site while the PC is in the user's lab.
Access to the LIMS is available on a monthly subscription basis, making
to cost of entry more affordable. Solutions are customized with LabLynx's
Configuration Manager (CM) capability. For details, visit http://www.lablynx.com.
Laboratory Automated Solutions, Inc. attended Pittcon for the first
time to discuss their range of services to the market. A laboratory operations
and information management consulting company that serves the analytical
testing and research and development industries, the company has implemented
LIMS for large and small DoD laboratories, municipal water treatment facilities,
commercial environmental laboratories, and industrial testing facilities.
An eye-catching motorcycle was in the booth and used as a prop to take pictures
of booth visitors which were then turned into screen savers on the spot
which visitors could take home. For details, visit http://www.labautomation.com.
Laboratory Automation Systems Inc. highlighted their worldwide services
for LIMS and data acquisition systems, including site evaluations, system
design, project management, training, validation, and instrument interfacing
at Pittcon. Featured was their Serial DIRECT product, a multiprotocol micro
serial server that delivers serial-to-Ethernet conversion. For details,
visit http://www.las-us.com.
LabVantage Solutions (LVS) has finally done the smart thing and integrated
all their LIMS solutions into a single suite that is now known as Sapphire
Laboratory Management software. The software solutions include high throughput
screening, genomics and proteomics as well as LIMS. There are ASP services
and industry-specific solutions for pharmaceutical research and development,
pharmaceutical contract research, food and beverage, oil and gas, process
chemicals, forensics, and environmental laboratories. Sapphire solutions
are robust, scaleable, flexible, and have a low cost-of-ownership. Users
can define workflow and business rules based on the specific requirements
of their lab. With the focus on Sapphire, comes the introduction of Sapphire
3.0 at Pittcon. Version 3.0 is promoted as bringing the virtual laboratory
concept to reality. Sapphire 3.0 will enable laboratories to seamlessly
leverage the Intranet and Internet initiatives of their companies in full.
Now a completely browser-based solution, 3.0 does not require plug-ins or
applets. Stability and scheduling modules are available. For details, visit
http://www.labvantage.com.
LabWare featured their family of laboratory automation products at
both conferences, including their version 4.0 client/server LabWare LIMS
suitable for both R&D and production environments. LabWare LIMS 4.0
has an SAP-certified interface, features stability, lot and batch management,
and is integrated with Microsoft and SQC charting capabilities. Other highlights
included the release of a seamless LIMS interface to Waters' Millennium
chromatography software and the successful integration of LabWare LIMS with
Northwest Analytical (NWA) to deliver statistical Quality Control (QC) charting
and analysis capabilities within the LIMS. The new interface to Millennium
allows users to remain within the LIMS while performing most common chromatographic
workflows such as assigning LIMS samples to run sequences. The integration
of LabWare LIMS with NWA's Quality Analyst software now delivers statistical
quality control charting and analysis at the press of a button. NWA Quality
Analyst is hosted inside the LIMS to offer users an extremely intuitive
and friendly interface. In other news, the company now outsources all implementations
so that they can focus on R&D and sales. For details, visit http://www.labware.com.
L.I.M.S. USA Inc highlighted StarLIMS 9.0 for the client/server environment
and StarLIMS 9i solution for the Internet. StarLIMS 9.0 is an open standards,
scaleable, client/server LIMS that is installed in clinical, environmental,
petrochemical, and pharmaceutical laboratories worldwide. Wizards and build-in
Data Capture Utility that creates automated instrument interfaces minimize
development, maintenance, certification, and validation efforts. StarLIMS
9i is a web-based solution that features a control center which provides
real-time, automatic notification of work. A drill-down capability ties
into the workflow to show work status in graphical form and deliver dynamic,
real-time notification for specific tasks. Both StarLIMS 9.0 and 91 can
work together simultaneously so that companies can connect remote satellite
labs to the central location. In addition, StarLIMS 9.0 is available as
an OLE server, allowing LIMS functions to be embedded into other applications
such as SAP and J.D. Edwards. For details, visit http://www.starlims.com.
Another new LIMS vendor who attended Pittcon for the first time, Management
Systems Designers, Inc. introduced their new ForensicLIMS (FLIMS) case
management and evidence tracking system. A web-based, modular LIMS designed
for use by forensic laboratories, FLIMS can be implemented in labs with
2 to 100+ users. The key components of the system are case management, evidence
tracking, and examination processing. Through the use of standard bar codes,
all evidence is tracked from the moment it enters the laboratory until it
either leaves the lab or is destroyed., providing an auditable chain-of-custody
for all evidence items. Management reports can be produced from a variety
of templated or tailored to the lab's requirements. The company has been
serving the forensics marketplace for some 20 years. They have built custom
solutions for the US Postal Service and other organizations. This is their
first commercial offering in the LIMS market. For details, visit http://www.msdinc.com.
PerkinElmer has been away from the LIMS scene for a couple of years
and is now back on board with the acquisition of LabWorks from Analytical
Automation Specialists (see above). Announced during Pittcon, the acquisition
extends PerkinElmer's capabilities in laboratory informatics. "The
LabWorks platform enhances our ability to provide an integrated, comprehensive
solution for our Life Sciences and Analytical Instruments customers that
includes instrumentation, software tools, consumables and accessories,"
said Gregory Summe, chairman and chief executive officer at PerkinElmer.
PerkinElmer also introduced a new version 6.2 of their TotalChrom Client/Server
Chromatography Data System (CDS) during the conference. For details, visit
http://www.perkinelmer.com.
Quality Systems International (QSI) demonstrated their WinLIMS Windows-based
LIMS solution. A scaleable solution, WinLIMS enables users to implement
on a single PC then scale up to a LAN or mainframe environment. The highlights
of the conference were a selection of client solutions, including Windows
Client, Web Client, and Pocket Client. The Windows Client is designed for
standalone, LAN and WAN solutions. The Web Client is appropriate for Intranet,
Internet, and Extranet solutions. The Pocket Client is designed for handheld
wireless and cellular communications to the LIMS. The capabilities have
been available from QSI before, but the company has renamed and streamlined
the product line so that companies can better visualize the range of solutions
available. For instance, the Web Client accesses the LIMS through a web
browser rather than on the desktop through a Windows 95/98/NT/2000 interface.
Web Client has no applets on the client, and keeps the client ultra-thin
to focus on HTML functionality. For details, visit http://www.qsius.com.
RTS Enabling Technology Inc. highlighted the new version 2.0 of their
C14LIMS. In addition, they announced plans to purchase Telecation and that
companies LIMS capabilities. Version 2.0 of C14LIMS provides enhancements
for QA/QC and contract analytical laboratories as well as for general manufacturing
and environmental applications. New features include flexible sample type
hierarchies, full function macro language, user-definable calculations;
automated scheduler utility; full QC sample support; sample object browser;
and much more. The purchase of Telecation will considerably expand RTS Enabling
Technology's (ETI) presence in the LIMS marketplace. "The acquisition
of Telecation will give RTS ETI a larger user base, expanded sales coverage,
and improved technical support," states Dennis LeTendre, president
of RTS ETI. "Together, we can now provide a more holistic offering
to the laboratory, including a choice of LIMS, web site development and
integration, technical services for IT, as well as financial, accounting,
and MRP software and services." For details, visit http://www.enabletech.com.
Taratec Development Corporation featured their range of service and
consulting solutions at Pittcon, including a new e-Compliance solution.
e-Compliance uses proven database and Internet technology to greatly simplify
electronic data management in life science laboratories and manufacturing
facilities. Invisible to the user, e-Compliance is a toolset designed to
bring file-based records into compliance with the FDA's electronic records
and signatures regulation, 21 CFR Part 11. e-Compliance also supports full
audit trail, integrated storage, file management, and file security requirements.
Taratec's expertise includes commercial LIMS, chromatography, laboratory
automation, and data acquisition products. For details, visit http://www.taratec.com.
Telecation attended Pittcon to demonstrate their range of LIMS solutions,
including their Conifer LIMS and Aspen LIMS solutions. Conifer 32 LIMS is
a 32-bit version of Telecation's Conifer environmental LIMS and offers a
low-end solution for small labs. Aspen is Telecation's high-end solution,
particularly their Enterprise version which is Microsoft Office 2000 and
Access 2000 compatible. It provides enhanced features such as color-coded
capabilities (such as red for past- due) and libraries that now enable automatic
updates. The company has been sold to RTS Enabling Technologies (see above
for details) so future enhancements and changes will be found under that
company's listing. For details, visit http://www.telecation.com.
Thermo LabSystems showcased a new Biotechnology LIMS, a new Nautilus
2001, enhanced integration solutions for SampleManager LIMS, and a new chromatography
data system (CDS) for single workstations. The latest interface developments
between LabSystems' Enterprise SampleManager LIMS and SAP's R/3 Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) system and the OSI PI Plant Information system were
also highlighted. Of particular note was the focus on a new electronic record
management software called eRecordManager. Following the recent acquisition
of Galactic Industries by Thermo Electron, LabSystems is now able to offer
this new software system for analytical data management, reporting and archiving
that will be released in June 2001. The significance of this news is that
the solution will enable labs to retrieve and display a specific data file
some time in the future without relying on the original software, operating
system or hardware. This means that users can access archived data for audit
and validation purposes without having the original acquisition instruments
on site or operational. The possibilities for knowledge management of such
data, where data mining, comparison and visualization can be utilized, will
enable labs to further leverage existing data. In addition, LabSystems'
highlighted Internet delivery of the Nautilus LIMS via ASP (Application
Service Provider) from their Pathfinder services group. A new Biotech LIMS,
called Biotechnology LIMS, was introduced that is based on LabSystem's Nautilus
LIMS technology and includes advanced data management capabilities for techniques
including cDNA Library development, SNP scoring, sequencing and genotyping,
together with enhancements to functionality for array and micro-titre plate
handing and sequencer integration. Nautilus 2001 now addresses 21 CFR Part
11 with a complete suite of customizable tools to ensure compliance to the
rule. For details, visit http://www.labsystems.com.
Waters Corporation, a leading supplier of chromatography data software
and systems, introduced a new version 4.0 of their Millennium chromatography
software. Version 4.0 includes ZQ Mass Detector support and control of and
data acquisition from non-Waters brand HPLC systems. This enables single-quadrupole
mass spectrometry technology, in the form of the ZQ detector, to be available
to Millennium users as well as users of photodiode array detectors. For
details, visit http://www.waters.com.