BARCELONA, Spain – After its 2021 acquisition of GenMark Diagnostics for $1.8 billion, Roche has upgraded the firm's flagship Eplex platform with new software and workflow components.

西班牙巴塞罗那——在2021年以18亿美元收购GenMark Diagnostics后，罗氏公司用新的软件和工作流程组件升级了公司的旗舰Eplex平台。

The platform, which was officially launched at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global Congress (ESCMID Global) this week, has been rebranded the Cobas Eplex platform with enhanced usability, reliability, and quality control features, although the core technology and test menu has remained the same.

该平台于本周在欧洲临床微生物学和传染病学会全球大会（ESCMID Global）上正式推出，已更名为Cobas Eplex平台，具有增强的可用性，可靠性和质量控制功能，尽管核心技术和测试菜单保持不变。

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According to Jeremy Kiger, the head of product strategy and international business at GenMark, the user interface and software components have been upgraded to be more intuitive for users and more responsive. Quality control is now able to be tracked and monitored via the instrument and epidemiology reports that can be generated directly from the instrument, while users can create customizable comments attached to results that can provide additional information to clinicians about treatment options. .

GenMark产品战略和国际业务主管杰里米·基格（JeremyKiger）表示，用户界面和软件组件已经升级，对用户来说更加直观，反应更加迅速。质量控制现在可以通过仪器和流行病学报告进行跟踪和监测，这些报告可以直接从仪器中生成，而用户可以创建可定制的评论，附加到结果，为临床医生提供有关治疗方案的其他信息。。

In addition, the ability to repair and service instruments has been improved. If one portion of the instrument needs to be serviced, it can be taken offline and fixed while the other portions of the instrument continue to operate and run tests, Kiger said. Some components of the platform are also 'much easier now to repair on-site and take less time to repair, as well,' he added. .

此外，维修和保养仪器的能力也得到了提高。基格说，如果仪器的一部分需要维修，可以将其脱机并修复，而仪器的其他部分则继续运行并运行测试。他补充说，该平台的一些组件现在也“更容易现场维修，维修时间也更短”。。

But because the core technology is the same, the existing regulatory approvals for Eplex – namely, 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration and CE marking – are still applicable and don't need to be updated. 'The improvements are more [about] look and feel, serviceability, usability, and software ...

但由于核心技术相同，Eplex的现有监管批准（即美国食品和药物管理局的510（k）许可和CE标记）仍然适用，无需更新。”改进更多的是外观、可用性、可用性和软件。。。

that don't change the underlying detection technology that we use,' Kiger said.  .

基格说，这不会改变我们使用的底层检测技术。。

The core features, such as how the instrument performs and its underlying technology, have stayed consistent because GenMark is 'dedicated to the syndromic approach' and remains focused on infectious diseases, namely respiratory and bloodstream infections. The platform's test menu currently includes a respiratory virus panel that detects 20 pathogens, including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and respiratory syncytial virus, and bloodstream infection panels that detect Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as fungi.

核心功能，例如仪器的性能及其基础技术，一直保持一致，因为GenMark“致力于综合征方法”，并且仍然专注于传染病，即呼吸道和血流感染。该平台的测试菜单目前包括检测20种病原体的呼吸道病毒面板，包括流感，SARS-CoV-2和呼吸道合胞病毒，以及检测革兰氏阳性和革兰氏阴性细菌以及真菌的血流感染面板。

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The Roche subsidiary has 'several' panels in development, Kiger said, including a gastrointestinal panel and tests for meningitis and encephalitis. Those areas were chosen because they are 'high in medical value,' with a clear market available, Kiger noted.

基格说，罗氏子公司正在开发“几个”小组，包括胃肠道小组和脑膜炎和脑炎测试。基格指出，之所以选择这些地区，是因为它们“具有很高的医疗价值”，并且有明确的市场。

The core markets Eplex will play in remain largely the same, with a focus on hospitals, but if there are 'other areas where we feel like we can provide value to customers and patients, we'll certainly access that,' Kiger added. The firm wants to be in spaces where syndromic testing is needed, he added. .

Eplex的核心市场基本保持不变，重点放在医院上，但如果“我们认为我们可以为客户和患者提供价值的其他领域，我们肯定会进入，”基格补充道。他补充道，该公司希望进入需要进行综合征检测的领域。。

Kiger noted that Roche's Cobas brand is 'recognizable' and known for quality and accuracy, and the Eplex 'fits very well with that brand image.' The Cobas brand name allows the instrument to be 'a bit more present in some markets,' Kiger added. The Eplex platform also fits well into the Cobas portfolio as a lower-throughput molecular instrument that can slot in next to Roche's larger high-volume Cobas 6800/8800 instruments or alongside its Liat point-of-care platform.

基格指出，罗氏的Cobas品牌是“可识别的”，以质量和准确性而闻名，而Eplex“非常符合该品牌形象”Kiger补充道，Cobas品牌使该仪器“在某些市场上更具代表性”。Eplex平台作为一种较低通量的分子仪器也很适合Cobas产品组合，可以与罗氏较大的高容量Cobas 6800/8800仪器相邻，也可以与其Liat即时护理平台相邻。

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'There's no need to try to stretch what we have within the portfolio to try to fit a need that maybe we can't serve as well,' Kiger said. 'With these three solutions, especially in the molecular space, we can cover all segments, all customer types.'

基格说，没有必要试图扩大我们的投资组合，以满足我们可能无法满足的需求有了这三种解决方案，特别是在分子领域，我们可以覆盖所有细分市场，所有客户类型。”

Before its acquisition, GenMark had a direct sales team in the US, but its overseas presence was focused on distribution agreements to expand the Eplex's reach. However, it now has direct access to Roche's sales network and marketing teams, meaning the firm's 'ability to gain access to those markets, those customers ...

在收购之前，GenMark在美国拥有一支直销团队，但其海外业务主要集中在分销协议上，以扩大Eplex的覆盖范围。然而，它现在可以直接访问罗氏的销售网络和营销团队，这意味着该公司有能力进入这些市场，这些客户。。。

with a really highly trained sales force and marketing team is going to be incredible for us,' Kiger said. Now that GenMark is under the Roche umbrella, its platform and tests can be carried, marketed, and sold globally through Roche's resources. .

基格说，拥有一支训练有素的销售队伍和营销团队对我们来说将是难以置信的。既然GenMark在罗氏的保护伞下，它的平台和测试就可以通过罗氏的资源在全球范围内进行、营销和销售。。

Right now, GenMark's focus with the updated instrument is on the US and countries in Europe where CE marking is recognized, but it has plans to roll out its products in Asia as well, Kiger said.

基格表示，目前，GenMark使用最新仪器的重点是美国和认可CE标志的欧洲国家，但它也计划在亚洲推出产品。

The acquisition also accelerated GenMark's growth, as it was able to invest millions into employing new talent, improving its manufacturing process, and expanding its research and development activities, Kiger said.

Kiger表示，此次收购还加速了GenMark的增长，因为它能够投资数百万美元雇佣新人才，改进制造工艺，扩大研发活动。

The subsidiary is also paying 'close attention' to its pricing structure and strategy because it wants to ensure its solutions are available in all markets equitably, although Kiger noted that he doesn't see a 'massive shift' in its existing pricing strategy as a result of the acquisition.

该子公司还“密切关注”其定价结构和策略，因为它希望确保其解决方案在所有市场上都公平可用，尽管基格指出，他认为收购不会导致其现有定价策略发生“大规模转变”。

'With these resources, the commitment from Roche, we're more confident than ever that we can deliver on the promise that we have with GenMark,' he said.

他说：“有了这些资源和罗氏的承诺，我们比以往任何时候都更有信心实现我们对GenMark的承诺。”。