Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, Brea, Calif, and US Arkray Inc, Edina, Minn, have announced a new partnership and the launch of the iQ urinalysis workcell.
The iQ workcell pairs two of the world’s most highly regarded automated urine analyzers, namely the Beckman Coulter Iris iQ200 digital flow morphology system (pictured above) and the Arkray Aution Max AX-4030 fully automated urine analyzer.
Peter Solanti, PhD, Beckman Coulter.
The total urinalysis offering will be available in the US market exclusively through Beckman Coulter, which will also offer both the Arkray Aution Max AX-4030 and the Arkray Aution Eleven AE-4022 analyzers as standalone solutions, reinforcing Beckman Coulter’s commitment to offering scalable solutions for high-, mid-, and low-volume laboratories.
The new iQ workcell is a scalable solution that will be offered in three configurations—iQ 3000, 2000, and 1500 workcells—to meet laboratories’ workflow needs. Beckman Coulter’s proprietary digital flow morphology process automatically classifies 12 particle types with 27 subcategories, reducing subjectivity during data analysis. The Arkray urine chemistry strips have broad measuring ranges for expanded clinical utility. The Arkray Aution Eleven AE-4022 semiautomated urine chemistry analyzer is suited as a backup or standalone option for laboratories, as urine chemistry results are harmonized across all platforms within the partnership’s portfolio.
Beckman Coulter will continue to offer and support the iChemVelocity urinalysis instrument outside of the US market, and will continue to provide service, parts, and consumables within the US. Arkray will continue to offer its standalone Aution Max AX-4030 and Aution Eleven AE-4022 analyzers to the US market, and will also deliver service, parts, and consumables for the entire Aution urinalysis product line, including the Aution Hybrid AU-4050 instrument.
Shane Hawes, US Arkray.
Meanwhile, both companies say their partnership will allow each to better meet the needs of their growing customer bases. Arkray has a longstanding history with more than 40 years’ experience in urine chemistry and is a pioneer in diagnostic products. Arkray’s reliable urine chemistry analyzers and test strips provide one of the broadest reporting ranges. The expanded ranges will allow US customers to report additional, clinically relevant data. Further, harmonized urine chemistry strips across Arkray’s semiautomated and fully automated Aution products offer an excellent complement to the powerful autoparticle recognition on Beckman Coulter’s iQ platform, according to the companies.
“Beckman Coulter’s partnership with Arkray allows us to build on our more than 30-year heritage of simplifying the urinalysis workflow and meeting our customers’ growing needs,” says Peter Soltani, PhD, senior vice president and general manager of the hematology and urinalysis business at Beckman Coulter. “The iQ workcell combines our world-class digital flow morphology imaging particle analysis with Arkray’s robust and reliable urine chemistry analyzer. In conjunction with the Aution Eleven AE-4022, this allows us to provide a scalable, harmonized portfolio in the United States.”
“We are excited to partner our best-in-class urine chemistry products with the market leader in urinalysis,” says Shane Hawes, general manager at US Arkray. “This partnership integrates our urine chemistry solutions with Beckman Coulter’s urine particle analysis systems in the United States. Through this partnership with Beckman Coulter, Arkray can respond to the market demand to pair Aution chemistry with sediment solutions. This combination of a fully automated urinalysis solution combined with a backup solution and standardized test strips delivers continuity within laboratory networks.”
For more information, visit Beckman Coulter Diagnostics and US Arkray Inc.
