Roche Teams with Womack Army Medical Center to Become First IVD Manufacturer approved for Remote Network Connectivity with DOD

Remote access to lab analyzers will enhance service and support capabilities, help facility save time and reduce potential for data entry errors

INDIANAPOLIS and FORT BRAGG, N.C., Feb. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that it has received approval from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to provide remote service and support for its lab analyzers at Womack Army Medical Center through the DOD's secure B2B gateway. Roche is the first in-vitro (test tube) diagnostics manufacturer to be approved by the DOD for this remote access.

The B2B gateway is a highly secure portal that enables external vendors to access systems within the DOD's data network. The remote access will enable Roche to more easily monitor system status, download system upgrades and calibration information, and provide remote help desk support through its cobas® link software program.

"The B2B approval process is quite rigorous because of our strict security protocols, but the benefits are well worth the effort," said LTC Linda Guthrie, the former laboratory manager at Womack. "Having remote access to the analyzers will enable Roche to identify and resolve potential issues faster, and for us it will eliminate the need for a lot of our manual data entry, which can help us save time and reduce the potential for error."

The remote access will help Roche provide more efficient and effective support and services as well. "By performing analyzer set-up, diagnostics and upgrades remotely, we can provide the same high level of support without the need to always have technical specialists on site," said Reg Stump, vice president of Roche Professional Services. "So we can typically provide support faster and in a way that's more efficient and convenient for everyone."

For Womack Army Medical Center, Roche will use the B2B gateway remote access to support multiple installations of the cobas® 6000 analyzer series, an integrated platform that offers both clinical chemistry and immunoassay testing. The approval will also pave the way for Roche to provide similar support services to other government facilities that utilize the B2B gateway for remote network connectivity.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world's largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS. Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche's personalized healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. In 2009, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested almost 10 billion Swiss francs in R&D. The Group posted sales of 49.1 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche has a majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information: www.roche.com or www.roche-diagnostics.us.

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SOURCE Roche Diagnostics