Roche launches new Cobas 6500 urine testing system

Roche has announced the launch of a new fully automated urine testing analyser that offers enhanced result reliability and staff safety benefits.

The urine testing system consists of two modular analysers that combine urine strip testing and digital urinary microscopy disciplines, evaluating 23 parameters to help diagnose diseases such as urinary tract infection, kidney disease and diabetes.

It provides the highest throughput on the market, ensuring high-quality results and increasing laboratory productivity significantly, while reducing manual steps and contamination risks for staff.

Cobas 6500 will initially be available in in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, with an application for US regulatory approval also planned.

Roland Diggelmann, chief operating officer of Roche Diagnostics, said: "Building on our 50 years of experience in urine analysis, Roche Diagnostics is now entering digital microscopy for urine testing, bringing even higher-quality solutions to the laboratories."

This comes after the firm announced the takeover of Seragon Pharmaceuticals, a company known for its pioneering research in the field of breast cancer, earlier this month.