Introducing the newest member of the IMMULITE^® family of systems...IMMULITE^® 2500 SMS

DPC is proud to introduce the the newest member of the IMMULITE^® family of systems—the IMMULITE 2500 SMS. Developed in response to customer feedback and market trends, the IMMULITE 2500 SMS increases the productivity and efficiency of the high-volume, routine immunoassay laboratory. The IMMULITE 2500 retains the key features of the highly successful IMMULITE 2000 while incorporating some innovative capabilities. This system also combines the IMMULITE 2500 with DPC's Sample Management System (SMS).

Logic Driven Incubation technology
The IMMULITE 2500 features a major enhancement—uniquely designed incubators that use Logic Driven Incubation (LDI™). LDI has permitted the system to be built around the assays, not the assays around the system, which means that assays can now be designed for optimal performance with the shortest possible incubation time. With its ability to process assays of varying incubation times simultaneously, the IMMULITE 2500 facilitates the consolidation of STAT, routine and esoteric testing onto the same platform. Tests requiring immediate processing can be initiated while routine assay processing is under way, and completed with the rapid turnaround time required for STAT tests. This provides customers with an exceptional time-to-first-result for STAT assays, such as cardiac biomarkers, without compromising assay performance.

Real Power. Logic Driven Incubation, LDI™, has permitted the system to be built around the assays, not the assays around the system. Assays can now be designed for optimal performance with the shortest possible incubation time.

How does LDI work?
The IMMULITE 2500 has two oval-track LDI incubators; each track can move both forwards and backwards as determined by the logic required to achieve maximum system productivity, and samples can be moved from one track to the other as necessary. As a test is initiated, the LDI determines the route of the reaction tube for maximum productivity and also ensures that it can be sent to the wash stations at the appropriate time. Thus, a sample undergoing a test that requires a shorter incubation time does not have to wait for a sample ahead of it in the queue that requires a longer incubation time. Rather, it is shuttled ahead to the wash station once its incubation is complete. Similarly, STAT samples are shuttled ahead of other samples for priority processing.

Two wash stations for LDI efficiency
The IMMULITE 2500 features two wash stations to provide increased system productivity and testing efficiency along with built-in redundancy: if one wash station is down, the other will continue to complete all outstanding tests.The effective spin-wash technology, identical to that of the IMMULITE 2000, greatly minimizes the potential for nonspecific binding and contributes to high-quality immunoassay results. After the bead is washed, the reaction tube is shuttled into the newly designed luminometer which also incorporates the forward and backward mobility of LDI. The luminometer, therefore, also contributes to the flexibility and efficiency of result generation.

Dynamic Resource Allocation
An additional new feature of the IMMULITE 2500 is a software algorithm called Dynamic Resource Allocation (DRA). DRA automatically schedules system functions to achieve the best throughput and maximum efficiency in test processing. This functionality, which takes into account on-board resources (reagent and other liquid levels, adjustment status, etc.), assures that system operations are optimized for the highest possible productivity.

IMMULITE® 2500 SMS features
		Sample capacity of up to 200
		Extensive menu of over 75 assays and about 350 specific allergens and allergen panels
		On-board reagent stability of up to 90 days
		Compact instrument size and mobility
		Capability for configuring into an Immunoassay Workcell or linking to a track system
		Easy-to-use software-user interface with touch screen, trackball, and keyboard interaction; adjustable screen height to accommodate any user
		Simple "from anywhere to anywhere" system navigation
		Easy operation with simple addition and removal of reagents, consumables, waste and samples
		Microsample pipetting with a dead volume of as little as 50 µL
		RealTime Solutions capability

Sample Management System
The new IMMULITE 2500 SMS instrument is paired with DPC's Sample Management System (SMS),* a robotic device that transfers sample tubes to and from the IMMULITE 2500. The SMS—with its four drawers containing removable sample rack carriers, each of which is able to hold five racks of 10 samples each—more than doubles the system's on-board sample capacity, for a total of up to 200 samples. In addition, the racks and rack carriers may be removed and replaced at any time without interfering with sample processing. An independent user interface allows the operator to identify the status of all tubes loaded onto the SMS. The interface resides on a 15-inch flat-screen monitor attached to the front left corner of the SMS. The operator can access the SMS software via the touch screen, microkeyboard or trackball. The IMMULITE 2500 SMS can also store and identify tubes for reflex testing and autodilutions.

* In the US, contact your local distributor regarding availability.

IMMULITE® 2500, with two LDI incubators and bidirectional tracks, gives priority to STATs and other samples ready for incubation, for maximum system productivity.

IMMULITE® 2500 software features the streamlined simplicity of a graphical user interface (GUI) in a Microsoft® Windows® XP operating environment. Touch-screen commands put system navigation at the operators' fingertips. The software also features context-sensitive online help.

Menu, menu, menu
The IMMULITE 2500 menu has been developed to offer the same unique breadth as that of the IMMULITE 2000, providing a platform that is ideal for centralizing routine, infectious disease, allergy and esoteric tests. The initial focus for assay optimization will be the anemia-related tests (Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid) as well as the following 15-minute STAT assays:

		Troponin I, Myoglobin, CK-MB
		HCG, with a linear range of up to 5,000 mIU/mL (WHO 3rd IS 75/537)

In the future, other assays will be optimized to provide the same excellent assay performance in the shortest possible incubation time.

Only a system with an extensive menu can help laboratorians organize and centralize workstations. This is where DPC excels, with the largest menu of clinically significant routine and esoteric assays, including an expanding line of automated infectious disease assays and about 350 specific allergens and allergen panels. DPC is continually developing new assays to meet the evolving needs of disease management.

RealTime Solutions
DPC has been the leader in innovative service support since 1998, when it introduced Remote Diagnostics on the IMMULITE 2000. Remote Diagnostics allows DPC Technical Services remote access, with the customer's permission, to the system's software via a modem link. The customer simply uses the modem to dial DPC, granting DPC access to the system. It is an important service feature that is also available on the IMMULITE 2500 SMS.

A further enhancement of support that will be available on the IMMULITE 2500 SMS is DPC's latest service innovation—DPC RealTime Solutions. This group of software applications includes DPC RealTime Service and RealTime OnLine Reports. RealTime OnLine Reports will offer peer-group analysis, and adjustment and summary reports. RTS provides a proactive service solution by constantly monitoring the performance of the IMMULITE 2500 system, using the power of the Internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Together with Remote Diagnostics, RTS provides improved operational productivity by helping to resolve system issues before they create serious problems, and by allowing the laboratory to schedule service at its convenience. Customers using RTS have seen a measurable increase in system uptime, a reduction in unscheduled downtime and a reduction in operator-generated calls for technical support—all of which translates into increased system productivity.

Having received 510(k) approval in late December 2003, the IMMULITE 2500 SMS is scheduled to begin shipping worldwide in mid-2004. Customers involved in the beta-site testing of the system have overwhelmingly positive comments on the easy-to-use software navigation and are very impressed with the significant improvements in productivity and time-to-first-result on the STAT assays they have seen. The IMMULITE 2500 SMS will provide laboratories with one of the fastest, largest capacity and most versatile automated immunoassay systems on the market. For more information on the IMMULITE 2500 SMS, please contact your local DPC representative.