Applied Biosystems Expands Portfolio of Services for Mass Spectrometry Instrument Systems

Business Wire, Sept 5, 2007

New Offerings Include HPLC Maintenance, Software Validation Consulting and Remote System Diagnosis

FOSTER CITY, Calif. -- Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business, today announced three new value-added services for laboratories that are utilizing Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX mass spectrometry instrument systems as part of an overall workflow solution. These new services include: a maintenance program for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems manufactured by Agilent Technologies; a software validation consulting service for laboratories operating in regulated environments; and an expanded Web-based solution for remote system monitoring and diagnosis. These specialized services are being offered by Applied Biosystems to support its customers who are increasingly focused on maximizing system productivity, maintaining regulatory compliance and increasing overall return on their technology investments.

The respective services are:

* Agilent HPLC Repair Service: Applied Biosystems has entered into an agreement with Agilent Technologies to service HPLC instruments manufactured by Agilent in environments in which the two companies have mutual customers. HPLC instruments are often combined with Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX mass spectrometers to form a complete workflow solution for separating, identifying and quantifying compounds for analysis in high-throughput applications such as drug discovery. Under the terms of the agreement, Agilent will provide training, OEM parts and documentation to Applied Biosystems field service engineers to support them in providing maintenance and repair on Agilent HP 1100 and 1200 Series HPLC instruments. With this new service, Applied Biosystems will serve as a single point of contact for the joint solution.

* Analyst[R] Software Validation Support Service: The Analyst[R] Software Validation Support Service is conducted by Applied Biosystems Professional Services to simplify the audit of mass spectrometry systems operating in regulated drug discovery and development applications. Analyst Software controls mass spectrometry systems and facilitates their secure operation and accuracy in data analysis and reporting. Auditing these systems to ensure they provide adequate records of who is operating them, what kinds of work is being conducted and whether data falls within acceptable thresholds is essential to maintaining regulatory compliance.

* Smart Center Online: Smart Center Online is a service that expands the functionality of Applied Biosystems' Smart Services remote instrument monitoring solution. Working with Applied Biosystems Professional Services, mass spectrometry system administrators can utilize this service to create a customized Web-based portal for viewing detailed information about specific instruments. They also have the ability to monitor system alerts and alarms, access recent and archived performance reports, and interact with Applied Biosystems support specialists for advanced diagnostics. Smart Center Online is expected to further increase system up-time and reduce the costs associated with service visits by enabling support personnel to remotely diagnose existing and potential problems and determine the necessary course of action prior to making a site visit.

Applied Biosystems is offering these value-added services in response to a growing number of customers who have indicated that direct original equipment manufacturer expertise is preferable in applications in which Applied Biosystems' instrument-based systems, consumables, and software are central to a complete workflow solution.

Vimta Labs Limited, a global provider of contract research and testing services, employs technologies from a variety of manufacturers to meet the diverse needs of its global pharmaceutical manufacturing clients. The company chose to utilize the expertise of Applied Biosystems Global Services to validate Analyst Software on its Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX mass spectrometers rather than using other companies to perform the critical task.

"We believe that Applied Biosystems is uniquely qualified to support our 13 Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX mass spectrometers because they possess specialized expertise that is only available from an original equipment manufacturer," said Dr. S.P. Vasireddi, managing director at Vimta. "For example, the Analyst Software Validation Service dramatically reduced the complexity of our software validation effort and reduced the costs we would have incurred doing the work ourselves, or working through another service provider."

Applied Biosystems Global Services provides a range of instrument maintenance plans and professional services to help its customers develop customized, application-specific solutions across basic biomedical research, commercial drug discovery research and standardized testing applications such as forensic human identification and environmental testing.

"Our customers are increasingly asking for more than generic asset management services," said Mark P. Stevenson, executive vice-president for Applied Biosystems. "By expanding our portfolio of specialized service offerings, Applied Biosystems is providing complete workflow solutions, specific to their applications, to enable them to increase productivity and realize a greater return on their technology investments."