The BioCel - Universal LabStore combination system will become a key element of AstraZeneca Charnwood's HTS Centre, enabling AstraZeneca to support its current and future screening demand
Nexus Biosystems and Velocity11 report that AstraZeneca recently selected the combination of Nexus Biosystems' Universal LabStore and Velocity11's BioCel automation system to serve as its Charnwood site's repository for maintaining, managing, and processing their plate based compound collection.
The combination of Velocity11 and Nexus technologies and products offers customers an unprecedented solution in terms of sample storage format flexibility, processing speed, sample handling accuracy, and space efficiency.
The AstraZeneca system has unique features including integration of conventional liquid handling technology with contact-free acoustic dispensing, as well as proprietary AstraZeneca innovations in storage labware design.
"The Universal LabStore offers a unique combination of speed, flexibility, expandability, and functionality for smaller library sizes that, when combined with Velocity 11's Biocel platform, provides customers with a complete solution for sample management and processing." said Tommy Bui, VP of business development at Nexus.
"We are extremely pleased AstraZeneca again selected the BioCel platform for the sample processing portion of the system based on its speed, throughput, flexibility and our proven track record of successful deployments at AstraZeneca," said Rob Nail, founder and CEO at Velocity11.
"We are excited to work closely with Velocity11 and NEXUS to deploy their systems for compound storage and management", said Philip Spencer, compound management team leader at AstraZeneca.
"Based on the successful implementation of several BioCel systems at a number of the key AstraZeneca sites coupled with an extensive evaluation of the solutions currently available, we found the capabilities of the Nexus Universal LabStore in combination with the Velocity11 platform to be uniquely suited to offer both robust efficiency and adaptability to remain competitive throughout their life cycles and address our long-term strategic needs".
Velocity11 and Nexus have recently established a partnership to combine both companies' best-in-class platforms to deliver an extraordinarily effective and seamless solution to its customers.
The two companies are in the process of delivering several systems for compound management, maintenance, and high-speed sample processing to leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology research organizations.
Nexus Biosystems, a privately held company based in Poway, California, USA, has since 1996 been a developer and provider of enabling technologies and automation systems for pharmaceutical, biotech, agrochemical and academic research institutions worldwide.
Current products include the Universal Store family of next generation sample storage and retrieval systems, the Crystal Farm line of protein crystallisation systems, and the Irori line of chemical synthesis technologies and services.
Velocity11 is a privately held company based in Menlo Park, California, USA and is focused on pioneering automation technology solutions for life science laboratories.
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services.
It is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of US$26.47 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products.
AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good Index.
