Cobas Fara

Fig. 2.9 The Cobas Fara II robotic centrifugal analyser. Reproduced with permission of Roche Diagnostics.

The Cobas Fara 11 provides on-line sample pre-dilution or pre-treatment, enabling total automation of assays such as serum, proteins and urine chemistries. Pre-diluted samples can also he pre-incubated before transfer to the analyser. These on-line features minimize labour and errors while ensuring result integrity. 

Special or routine chemistry runs can be interrupted at any time to perform rapid STATs with simultaneous multi-analyte analysis. The Cobas Fara II provides STAT test results in as httle as 60 seconds with true Sample-Prioritized capabihty. Routine testing resumes automatically from the point of STAT interruption. 

Whilst specifically developed for the clinical market, the Cobas Fara II has many other areas of apphcation, for example in environmental testing, food testing and animal toxicology. 

Table 2.3 Outline of environmental test kits available on the Cobas Fara II...

Cobas Fara (product reference available from Roche Diagnostics, see separate entry). 

Many methods of determination of TAC have been automated. Automatization of the ORAC assay by using the COBAS Fara II analyzer with fluorescence and robotic attachment permits 24 parallel analyses per mn (C15). A semiautomated version of the ORAC assay has been proposed for determination of 45 simultaneous analyses (Cl). 

Closed automated systems designed for particular tests in an instrument have been developed. They are closed systems because the reagents and IA protocols were controlled by the manufacturer. Examples are the Roche Cobas FARA II , DuPont ACA , and Miles Immuno 1 analyzers. The reagents are expensive, and in many cases the applications are fixed and may not be adaptable for PK and PD study purposes. 

Cao G, Verdon CP, Wu AHB, Wang H, Prior RL. Automated-assay of oxygen radical absorbance capacity with the COBAS FARA-II. Chn Chem 1995 41 1738-1744. 

ST82 Cole, R., Bradley, H. and Trundle, D. (1990). Comparison of interferences in 12 drug methods on four instruments Fara II, TDx, Stratus II, and Cobas-Bio. Clin. Chem. 36, 1111, Abstr. 746. 

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