Sample management system has proven to be a real success at Evotec OAI's screening site in Hamburg, Germany, where it searches for novel drug candidates
After vigorous review, Titian Software's Mosaic sample management system has proven to be a real success at Evotec OAI's screening site in Hamburg, Germany, where it has established a screening factory searching for novel drug candidates in drug discovery services and own programmes with its cutting-edge proprietary Evoscreen uHTS system and additional third party devices.
Mosaic, recently launched at DDT, is described as the world's most comprehensive sample management software.
Its combination of modules for inventory tracking, sample ordering, integration of robotics and workflow management offers dramatic improvements in data integrity and efficiency of compound supply for screening.
It is this improved efficiency that persuaded Evotec OAI to install Mosaic, as Steffen Koehler, Evotec OAI's head of compound management, explained.
"Screening was originally managed using our in-house, file-based software and, while highly accurate, this software required manual checks at a number of stages.
"With an ever increasing customer base for our screening services we needed to be able to further improve our screening efficiency without increasing costs.
"We knew we could only achieve this through increased use of automated hardware and reducing the number of steps requiring operator input.
"We therefore needed a software system that would interface with our hardware as well as with our screening data management and analysis platform A+, offering fully automated tracking and control throughout the screening process - and one that would provide us with total confidence in the final data.
"After reviewing a number of options, it was clear that Mosaic offered the best solution".
Evotec OAI uses Mosaic to manage compound storage and the preparation of compounds for screening.
This includes initial receipt and registration, storage, replication to various generations of the libraries (including re-synchronisation of different generations when depletion occurs), creation of HTS screening plates and cherry picking of follow-up compounds.
A key element of Mosaic's success is its flexibility.
"Our customers all work to their own plate formats and processes," continued Koehler, "so it is essential that the sample management software that we use is totally flexible. "Since installing Mosaic last year, it has coped really well with these differing requirements and integrates perfectly with our large scale automation such as a TAP BasePlate plate replicator, as well as our own A+ and EvoScreen technology."
