Vendor News

LabVantage's SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution to support the BCR

LabVantage Solutions's SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution has been licensed by the International Genomics Consortium (IGC) based in Phoenix, AZ. According to a press note, IGC was selected by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) to lead the human cancer Biospecimen Core Resource (BCR) component of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) pilot project. The SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution will serve as a key informatics backbone supporting and maintaining the BCR. After evaluating a top-tier list of potential vendors, LabVantage's SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution was selected based upon product maturity, functionality, architecture, scalability and flexibility. Additionally, LabVantage's extensive experience delivering solutions for biospecimen repository management was a key decision factor for the IGC.

"In order for the IGC to successfully implement the Human Cancer Biospecimen Core Resource we needed a biospecimen management solution that was functionally rich and capable of being implemented rapidly," stated Troy Shelton, IGC Project Administrator, TCGA. "Among the software solutions we evaluated, LabVantage's SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution offered true out-of-the-box functionality and was by far the most well-established and premier solution used by peers in the industry."

The SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution ensures that standard procedures are used for all steps in the biorepository management process. Key processes supported include informed consent, clinical data collection, sample collection, pathology review, bio-molecule extractions, quality control, laboratory data collection, and bio-molecule distribution. "ICG's selection of the SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution to support its translational genomics and cancer research is further validation of our industry leading solution for biorepository management," affirmed Ron Kasner, Vice President, Corporate Development, LabVantage.

Apart from BCR, SAPPHIRE BioBanking Solution has also been licensed by the Channing Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research division of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The laboratory is world renowned for its infectious disease and epidemiologic research. As part of a multi-phase laboratory information management project, it will deploy SAPPHIRE in the respiratory epidemiology genotyping laboratory. Through extensive due-diligence and review of the available top-tier commercial solutions, LabVantage's SAPPHIRE was chosen for its comprehensive and configurable-off-the-shelf (COTS) functionality. SAPPHIRE'S zero footprint, thin-client architecture was a decisive factor as it would provide its key staff, technicians, scientists, and principal investigators with the remote and secure access required when interacting with the biorepository. SAPPHIRE was also carefully selected for its ability to map existing laboratory processes to its built-in workflow management capabilities. This would enable the Channing Laboratory to automate its study management, sample collection, accessioning, and storage management practices and ensure compliance with its standard operating procedures. In addition, critically important was SAPPHIRE'S open architecture and ability to integrate with existing internally built systems, as well as, the flexibility to configure the solution to meet their global needs now and into the future.

"The Channing Laboratory's selection of LabVantage continues to substantiate SAPPHIRE as the product of choice for leading laboratories looking to replace their legacy LIMS and standardise on a best-in-class sample and bio-repository management solution," stressed Ron Kasner, Vice President of Corporate Development for LabVantage. "It further demonstrates our leadership in customer service and commitment to excellence."