New product offerings within the Panther Scalable Solutions (PSS) portfolio are now commercially available in the United States and Europe, Hologic announced. These new optional configurations, which represent Hologic’s next generation of molecular diagnostics innovation, will allow laboratories to scale their instrumentation to meet testing demands in both their current workflow and their future growth plans.
 
“Our laboratory partners seek continuing efficiency and consolidation, and we are observing that trend in real time, with more Panther instruments in the field running multiple assays than ever before,” said Kevin Thornal, president, Diagnostic Solutions Division at Hologic. “In the tenth year since launching the Panther system, we are excited to add expanded capabilities to our market-leading molecular diagnostic platform.”
 
The Panther system, launched in Europe in 2010, offers random access and full automation for molecular testing. It provides a broad assay menu that includes tests for women’s health, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), respiratory health, and viral load, as well as Open Access functionality for laboratory developed tests (LDTs). This broad menu enables labs to consolidate molecular testing onto a single platform.
 
Within Panther Scalable Solutions, the Panther system functions as the foundation for optional add-ons. These add-ons include Panther Fusion, which launched in 2016 and provides additional IVD menu and the Open Access functionality, the now available Panther Plus and Panther Link, as well as the upcoming Panther Trax.
 
Taken together, these configurable options address the needs of today’s laboratories, allowing them to increase operational capacity and testing volumes at their own pace, while building on the flexibility and streamlined user experience they require. Panther Scalable Solutions allows laboratories to choose custom configurations that best suit their needs and testing volumes as they evolve over time. These new options expand upon the proven performance and reliability of the Panther system.
 
The new optional configurations include:
 

• Panther Plus, which adds flexibility, capacity and throughput to the existing Panther system. With Panther Plus, labs can load more consumables directly on the instrument, allowing even greater walkaway time (up to 13.5 consecutive hours). Both fluids and waste can be changed while tests are in process, and an option for automatic liquid waste disposal is available. These features allow an additional 210 tests to be run in 24 hours, providing a total throughput of greater than 1,200 patient samples in that time. Panther Plus is FDA approved and CE marked, and is now available in the United States and Europe.
• Panther Link is a software solution that provides additional efficiencies by creating a virtual connection that allows multiple Panther instruments to communicate with one another and function within a singular, streamlined workflow. Linked instruments can share information such as reagent kits and reflex test orders, enabling more efficient reagent utilization and improved turnaround time. A dashboard command feature allows technicians to monitor instrument inventories, maintenance tasks and test results on a single screen from a centralized location. Panther Link is FDA approved and CE marked, and is now available in the United States and Europe.

 
In addition, Hologic is developing Panther Trax, which will offer the ultimate in lab automation by physically and electronically linking multiple Panther instruments together into a single, powerful workcell that allows labs to increase testing volumes without increasing staff. Panther Trax is expected to be available in the United States and Europe later in 2020.