Plusvital Streamlines and Automates COVID-19 Testing Workflows Using CloudLIMS

Plusvital is a global leader in equine science. Established in 1975, this Irish-owned company provides innovative, science-driven genetic testing solutions alongside a range of equine nutraceutical supplements developed to empower equine performance. 

In 2020, in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Plusvital developed a range of PCR-based tests for SARS-CoV-2-RNA

Genomics is the future of clinical research. However, as genomics involves large data sets, genomic samples and the related metadata can create complexity for most institutions. 

Plusvital faced the challenge of managing COVID-19 nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples and related patient information, including demographics, consent, test results, and other medical information. With the introduction of COVID-19 testing, the company recognised the need for an automated solution to improve the robustness of testing and reduce turnaround times. 

Another key challenge Plusvital faced was integrating analytical instruments for centralized data management and transferring all data to an in-house software solution for reporting test results. This was necessary to improve the accessibility of the data and at the same time, enable seamless data management, all geared towards greater agility and enhanced performance. 

Lastly, genetic and COVID-19 testing amplifies the need for regulatory compliance, with so much sensitive data being stored. This can be difficult to achieve without high-level automation technology.

With the above needs identified, it was apparent to Plusvital that they needed a cost-effective digitized system that could handle the avalanche of samples and data without compromising quality or data integrity while meeting regulatory requirements. A cloud-based LIMS solution would allow team members, stakeholders, and collaborators to securely access data onsite and remotely, 24×7. 

A cloud-based COVID-19 LIMS software offers several other benefits, including the following:

• No IT infrastructure is needed
• Minimal product maintenance
• Enhanced security 
• Remote disaster recovery
• Extensive scalability

After extensive market research, Plusvital contacted CloudLIMS with their requirements.

The first thing that CloudLIMS did was to assess the challenges presented by Plusvital and their requirements. The CloudLIMS team conducted a product demo and explained the in-built configuration options, the extensive functionality to support their data management and process automation needs, the advanced search tools, and the complimentary services. The CloudLIMS team guided Plusvital through the onboarding process and conducted multiple training sessions to help them get started quickly.

After deploying CloudLIMS, Plusvital avoided incurring huge costs in purchasing new infrastructure. With CloudLIMS’ complimentary services, such as technical support, staff training, instrument integration, automatic data backups, and product upgrades, Plusvital is likely to save more on product maintenance and support. 

Here are other benefits gained by Plusvital:

• Efficient storage and management of COVID-19 genetic samples alongside their related metadata.
• Better management and validation of test results with faster turnaround time (<24 hours for COVID-19 tests).
• Efficient tracking of master mix kits, RNA extraction reagents, and DNA extraction reagents. 
• Improved compliance with regulatory guidelines such as EU GDPR and ISO 15189.
• With CloudLIMS’ REST API, they have been able to migrate test and sample data to a different database.
• Improved batch import of test results, reducing the need for manual entries that are prone to human error.
• Integration with the following analytical instruments to avoid manual entry of test results: 

1. Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Real-Time PCR 
2. Applied Biosystems StepOnePlus Real-Time PCR
3. Bio-Rad CFX96

CloudLIMS helped Plusvital transition to a cloud-based digital system that’s able to handle the vast and varied genomic samples and their specific data. It has also been pivotal in ensuring seamless data migration and instrument integration while supporting regulatory compliance. Furthermore, remote access enabled better collaboration among researchers and other stakeholders and the end result is enhanced efficiency of processes and increased throughput. This is in line with the company’s broad objective of being a world leader in equine science.