www.dilab.com

DiLab – a company inventing the future of
Automated Blood Sampling.

DiLab is a Swedish biomedical company solely dedicated to automated blood sampling (ABS). Sampling of blood in both discovery and development trials takes time, but a new technique, where the blood sampling is carried out automatically instead of manually, makes it possible to increase throughput and provides other benefits. This text will highlight the general concept and the AccuSampler^® from DiLab.

Preclinical improvements

Blood sampling is an important step prior to analysis in many trials. In DMPK or toxicology research, for example, blood sampling is extensive and time consuming for personnel. Sampling must also be adjusted to fit the working hours of the staff, and scope is limited at weekends and overnight. A simple way to eliminate bottlenecks in such preclinical work is to run trials overnight, for example. Thanks to the AccuSampler^® instrument, blood samples can now be taken automatically without staff supervision over prolonged periods, including overnight collection.

Automated Blood Sampling in freely-moving animals using the AccuSampler^® family of instruments has been shown to improve the quality of data, reduce animal usage, cut down on stress to the animal and increase throughput compared to manual blood sampling (data available on request). Sample sizes ranging from 5 µL to 3+ ml can be routinely collected over a 4-5 minute interval.

DiLab

DiLab has been a pioneer in automated blood sampling since 1993 when it all started as a co-operation project with Novo Nordisk in Denmark. DiLab’s mission is to be the Life Science industry’s preferred partner for ABS. The AccuSampler^® instrument is in use worldwide, primarily by pharmaceutical companies within various preclinical research areas. Manufacturing and R&D facilities are located in Lund, while sales are managed from both Lund and Boston.

Furthermore, the AccuSampler is just one element of a whole blood-collection concept. To complete the concept, DiLab offers a package of instrument training, training in microsurgery, software education to optimize documentation and instruction in how to use options such as infusion and dosing capabilities.

To ensure continuous and smooth performance, DiLab also offers preventive maintenance services. A visit from a service engineer twice yearly provides a useful check-up to ensure trouble-free operation. All consumables needed for the sampling can also be ordered from DiLab.

Animal welfare

In addition to the increased throughput, automated sampling also improves the animals’ welfare. Today, most pharmaceutical companies work actively to reduce, replace and refine work involving testing with animals – the 3R guidelines. Several studies have shown that the animals are less stressed, and that levels of corticosteroids are less affected, when using AccuSampler than with manual sampling (Royo, Björk et al. in J Endocrinology 2004). Since blood is extracted from the animals without any actual handling, the animals are not even aware of the sampling and can continue to sleep or maintain normal behaviour. With the ABS technique it is also possible to use the same animal for longer study periods and to use mice instead of rats thanks to the fact that smaller samples can be taken. Both these factors are highly attractive arguments for improving work within the 3R concept.

Unique technology

The animal is hooked up to the AccuSampler via a catheter. The catheter can be inserted into either a vein or artery of choice for the protocol. The catheter is connected to the AccuSampler tubing system, which can easily handle a wide range of volumes with great accuracy – down to just 5µl!

The idea behind AccuSampler is to use an air bubble between the blood and the saline solution when transporting the sample through the tubing system. This unique technique prevents the two fluids from mixing, allowing minimal volumes to be taken.

Any blood not needed for the sample is returned to the animal, and cleaning of catheters also compensates for the animal’s loss of blood, thus preventing dehydration. The AccuSampler compensates for the amount of blood extracted with an identical volume of saline solution.

Thanks to such minimal wastage of blood, it is possible to use the same animal for more samples or for longer periods, including crossover studies that require a wash-out period.

For more information about automated blood sampling and AccuSampler^®, please e-mail info@dilab.com, call +46 46 37 69 90 or visit www.dilab.com.