Hopkinton, Mass., (October 26, 2011) – Hamilton Storage Technologies and Robotics have delivered and successfully installed an integrated compound management system at Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd.’s Research and Development Centre in Laval, Quebec. Over 140 scientists are involved in developing new antiviral therapeutic agents at this facility. The Hamilton system provides seamless integration of compound library storage with an automated liquid handling platform for compound dilution and delivery of samples for Biological and in vitro ADME assays.
The complex system integrates a Hamilton ASM active sample management system with a MICROLAB® STAR liquid handling workstation equipped with eight independent channels, a CO-RE (Compressed O-Ring Expansion) 384 Probe Head and grippers. The workstation includes a plate barcode labeler and sealer, a centrifuge, a Hamilton 2-D barcode reader and a Hamilton DeCapper. Hamilton’s Rack Runner robot rapidly transfers the tube racks and plates between the liquid handling platform, assay workstations and storage. The system is also integrated with the customer’s LIMS.
Incoming compounds are registered and diluted to 384-well plates for assays, while the original tube is delivered to storage. The ASM system will provide the customer with vastly improved control over sample storage conditions to ensure sample integrity and traceability.
“This is the most complex and extensive system we have installed to date,” commented Matt Hamilton, vice president of Hamilton Storage Technologies. “We expect that it will significantly improve throughput, capacity and accuracy. Sample preparation time will be decreased and more compounds will be moved through the screening process.”
About Boehringer Ingelheim
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. With headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 145 affiliates and more than 42,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine. As a central element of its culture, Boehringer Ingelheim pledges to be socially responsible including involvement in social projects, caring for employees and their families, and providing equal opportunities for all employees form the foundation of the global operations. Mutual cooperation and respect, as well as environmental protection and sustainability are intrinsic factors in all of Boehringer Ingelheim’s endeavors. In 2010, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of about 12.6 billion euro while spending almost 24% of net sales in its largest business segment, Prescription Medicines, on research and development. For more information, visit www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.
About Hamilton
Hamilton is a leading worldwide supplier of precision liquid handling equipment, laboratory automation and storage systems, serving customers in academic and private research laboratories, pharmaceutical and clinical diagnostic companies and governmental institutions. Hamilton maintains headquarters in Reno, Nevada, Hopkinton, Massachusetts and Bonaduz, Switzerland, all of which house R&D and production facilities. Hamilton has subsidiaries for direct sales and service in many countries and works with a wide distributor network in other regions. Hamilton is a privately held company. For more information, visit www.hamilton-storage.com and www.hamiltonrobotics.com