Rhinostics and LVL technologies Partner to Provide Decapping Solutions for Automated Collection Device Workflows

November 14, 2022 |

5 min read

Rhinostics Inc. is excited to announce an expanded partnership with LVL technologies GmbH, which includes Rhinostics’ reselling of LVL’s decapper instrument and LVL’s distribution of Rhinostics’ automated collection devices in Germany and Austria.

Rhinostics has partnered with LVL technologies to launch the RHINObot™, a customized version of LVL’s successful decapper instrument that enables both the RHINOstic® and VERIstic™ automated collection devices to offer a complete solution for handsfree sample-in to result-out workflows. The combined solution increases sample throughput while reducing labor requirements, decreasing turnaround times, and bringing consistency, efficiencies and cost savings to laboratories testing with swab and small-volume blood collection devices.

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rhinostics Inc. is excited to announce an expanded partnership with LVL technologies GmbH, which includes Rhinostics’ reselling of LVL’s decapper instrument and LVL’s distribution of Rhinostics’ automated collection devices in Germany and Austria. By combining the Rhinostics’ sample collection device ingenuity with decapper technology, laboratories can benefit from an instantly scalable automated swab and small volume blood collection processing workflow. Automation breaks through manual bottlenecks during capping and recapping steps so that laboratories can increase throughput and consistency while also decreasing cumbersome steps as well as reagent and labor costs.

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Rhinostics and LVL technologies Partner to Provide Decapping Solutions for Automated Collection Device Workflows (Photo: Business Wire)

“Today, researchers, clinicians, and patients alike expect more when it comes to sample collection and diagnostic workflows from respiratory pathogens, sexually transmitted infections, genetic testing to cancer biomarkers and much more,” explained Cheri Walker, PhD, President and CEO of Rhinostics. “We’re excited to expand our partnership with LVL, our supplier of high-quality collection tubes to Rhinostics during the pandemic and beyond. The companies have enjoyed a close relationship, and we can now offer a full solution for our customers by launching a customized version of LVL’s robust decapper instrument to the market.”

“We are extremely pleased to expand our partnership with Rhinostics,” said Martin von Lueder, Chief Executive Officer of LVL. “We have watched Rhinostics bring industry changing, purpose-built sample collection devices that are automation-enabled to the market. The LVL decapper instrument is the perfect complement to their consumables, allowing improvements to inefficient swab and blood collection workflows. Additionally, we look forward to offering the Rhinostics products to our customers.”

As part of the partnership, the RHINObot™ has been optimized for use with the RHINOstic® Automated Swab – a patent-pending sample collection device that integrates a unique polypropylene-based swab with an automatable cap.

Nasal, buccal, or vaginal samples may be comfortably collected in a clinical setting or easily self-collected as part of an at-home test kit. After collection, the swab is securely screwed into a small, barcoded transport tube. This transport tube may be shipped without use of viral transport or other media to reduce reagent costs as well as risks of leaking, accidental biohazard exposure, and potential PCR interference due to VTM or other media components. Dry shipment also enables greater sample concentrations to boost confidence in sensitive PCR, next generation sequencing (NGS), ELISA methods, even at very low pathogen levels.

Once in the laboratory, samples may be loaded onto the RHINObot™ for automated decapping and capping of up to 96 samples in less than 1 minute. This hands-free workflow eliminates user variability and reduces labor time by up to 80+% to significantly decrease per-test costs.

The collaborative agreement will include co-promoting the RHINOstic® and RHINObot™ solution along with marketing and educational initiatives aimed at making customers aware of the increased convenience, speed, and consistency of the automated workflow.

About Rhinostics

Rhinostics is at the forefront of revolutionizing sample collection. As a spin-out company from Harvard University and Wyss Institute, we are taking a radical new approach to sample collection device design and function. COVID-19 cast light on the urgent need to improve laboratory workflows. Rhinostics was born to meet the moment. Our united mission is to revolutionize laboratory workflows, one purpose-built collection device at a time. We improve sample collection comfort and performance while bringing efficiencies to the laboratory to remove costs and save time compared to traditional sample collection intake. Our groundbreaking technologies include functional design, novel materials, and automation solutions for removing caps and rapid accessioning for hands-free workflows. This enables robust high-throughput assays from start to finish with minimal human intervention, saving time and reducing costs.

Rhinostics’ initial product, the RHINOstic® Automated Swab, aids testing broad diagnostic and life science workflows, in areas like respiratory disease, genomics, STDs, forensics and much more. The company continues to innovate, launching a novel small-volume blood collection device, the VERIstic™, and developing a pipeline of novel sample collection devices that are purpose-built for their application combined with automation enablement. To learn more, visit https://www.rhinostics.com.

About LVL

LVL technologies is a leading global manufacturer of 2D coded tubes in the automation-friendly SBS format, including the necessary technical infrastructure. Based in Crailsheim, Germany, the company supplies organizations and companies in more than 50 countries with high-quality storage tubes for demanding long-term sample storage. Applications range from clinical and veterinary diagnostics and biobanking to compound management and research applications in biotechnology. The latest technical development is the fully automatic TLM 864 Tube Laser Marker.

To learn more, visit https://www.lvl-technologies.com.