A clinical research organisation with facilities across Europe, US and India, has opted to introduce greater automation to its laboratory processes by using Thermo Scientific Watson LIMS technology.
The laboratory information management system will help Veeda Clinical Research to analyse drugs and metabolites for small molecules at its bioanalytical research facilities in Ahmedabad, India. The technology will help to increase laboratory service at the company's biomarker and large molecule laboratory in the UK.
Veeda provides timely research solutions and clinical pathology, biomarkers and bioanalytical services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries worldwide. Built in 2004 to provide services for small molecule pharmacokinetics, the Indian facility offers method development and validation, various extraction techniques, adaption and re-validation of client assay methods and estimation of drug and/or metabolite in different biological matrices. The UK laboratory offers bespoke biomarker, large molecule PK, and Immunogenicity assay development, validation and sample analysis on a wide variety of analytical platforms.
Following an upgrade of the laboratory, and on completion of IQ/OQ/PQ, the entire Indian operations are now fully integrated with Watson LIMS, eliminating manual and disparate processes to improve productivity and quality. The UK facility is in the process of validation and is expected to come on line in the near future. By harmonising and unifying its process onto an integrated enterprise software system, Veeda CR is adopting a similar world-class operating environment to that found in its pharmaceutical sponsors" facilities.
John Allinson, director at Veeda, said: "Our Indian facility alone tests up to 200 samples per day per instrument and Veeda CR currently has three laboratories around the world which handle 4.5 million samples at present, moving towards 9 million samples per year. Watson LIMS allows us to automate a sampling system previously undertaken manually. This has been a significant factor in our use of labor resources and will enable us to increase our capacity."
Dave Champagne, vice president and general manager of informatics for Thermo Fisher, said: "Veeda CR operates in a sector subject to strict regulatory compliance and Watson LIMS offers ease of use, online monitoring of activities, extensive training, and a substantial support service to customers. Watson LIMS can be integrated with other enterprise systems and laboratory instruments, and its flexibility will allow Veeda CR the opportunity to expand and upgrade all their systems worldwide in future."
Watson LIMS is a highly specialized protocol-driven Laboratory Information Management System specifically designed to support DMPK/Bioanalytical studies in drug development.