Dako Omnis family

Building on success to offer more choice than ever for automation of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization

Agilent Technologies partnered with Tecan to develop and manufacture the Dako Omnis platform, a complete solution for fully automated immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) staining. Launched in 2013, the platform has gone from strength to strength, leading Agilent to build on this success and further expand its range to include platforms suitable for low to high throughput laboratories. The new platforms offer either IHC and ISH capabilities or IHC alone, providing customers with additional flexibility and choice.

It is over a decade since the Dako Omnis entered the marketplace, where it has enjoyed considerable success. This automated platform was originally designed for high volume pathology laboratories, offering easy-to-use, walkaway automation for IHC and ISH staining. Now, Agilent has once again partnered with Tecan to expand the range to meet the needs of lower to medium throughput laboratories, which also require automated protocols, continuous loading capability and easy viewing but on a smaller scale.

Building on success

Recognizing the changing demands for automated staining capabilities, Agilent decided to build on its existing technology to create a family of Dako Omnis instruments to give customers a broader choice of capacities and staining techniques. Majken Nielsen, Associate Vice President and Head of Product Management, Clinical Diagnostics Division at Agilent, explained: “We knew that low to medium throughput laboratories – which account for about 30 % of the market – also needed walkaway automation, and that many of our existing customers in medium and high volume laboratories typically have more than one Dako Omnis. With that in mind, we decided to develop a Dako Omnis family of instruments, to allow a wider range of laboratories to access the benefits of automation.”

A trusted partner

Agilent partnered with Tecan to develop the original Dako Omnis, so it was an obvious choice to continue this long-standing relationship, working together to expand the range of platforms offered. Majken continued: “We wanted to build on the respected Dako Omnis brand, which has become one of the best instruments of this type on the market. After more than a decade of successful collaboration, working with Tecan to develop a family of instruments was a natural next step for us in the life cycle management of the Dako Omnis platform. The hardware is similar for each instrument; the differences lie in the capacity of the systems and whether or not they run ISH (Table 1). The Dako Omnis 165 Duo is comparable to the original Dako Omnis instrument, with both IHC and ISH capabilities, while the other platforms – the Dako Omnis 165 and Dako Omnis 110 – only run IHC. Customers can now tailor the throughput and combination of instruments to their specific needs.”

An enhanced platform

During the development process, Agilent and Tecan looked at how proprietary technologies from both companies could be incorporated and used to further enhance and optimize the already strong capabilities of the existing Dako Omnis. Casper Walker, Product Management Director, Clinical Diagnostics Division at Agilent, explained: “Where laboratory infrastructure allows, the Dako Omnis family of instruments now offers direct integration with lab supply systems, setting a new standard in workflow efficiency and automation. Specifically, the Dako Omnis can now be connected directly to the lab’s water system, reducing hands-on time and streamlining daily operations. In addition, non-hazardous waste generated during the staining process can now be automatically routed to the lab’s drainage system, eliminating manual disposal steps and enhancing operator safety and ergonomics. These enhancements go beyond current expectations, offering a solution that’s not only efficient today, but ready for the evolving demands of tomorrow’s laboratories. Additionally, we’ve refined the software interface to improve usability while preserving the familiar look and feel of the original Dako Omnis, ensuring a smooth transition for existing users.”

Assay extension to the new Dako Omnis family

In the IVD arena, it is important to validate the correct performance of not only the instruments, but also the assays being run on them. In Europe, the same portfolio of reagents available for the classic Dako Omnis, including existing CDx applications, will be available from the moment of launch. In other regions, like the US, CDx products require additional regulatory approval for use in new instruments. These assays are currently only available for the classic Dako Omnis. Other assays will be available for use on the new Dako Omnis family at the time of the launch. Majken commented: “An important point is that existing Dako Omnis customers who invest in one of the new Dako Omnis family of instruments can use the same reagents across all platforms. They don't need to transition to a new platform immediately, but can wait until they're ready. This flexibility is a huge benefit.”

A spirit of collaboration

Tecan and Agilent have been collaborating to develop and further enhance the Dako Omnis for many years now. Over the years, the relationship between the two companies has also evolved, fostering collaboration and partnership, which enabled delivery of the project in just two years – exactly 12 years from the launch of the original Dako Omnis. “The team spirit is very open, transparent and honest, which helped drive the speed of the development. The new Dako Omnis family of instruments will allow us to meet the demands of low to medium throughput laboratories, as well as boosting flexibility for the high throughput labs we already serve. With three configurations available, we will be able to grow with our customers as they graduate from the Dako Omnis 110 to the larger platforms as their needs change,” Majken concluded.