cobas^® eplex system

IVD

Fast, reliable syndromic testing for informed therapeutic decisions

The cobas® eplex system offers a streamlined solution for multiplex molecular diagnostics, providing a true sample-to-answer workflow that supports institutional efficiency from order entry to report. It integrates seamlessly with bi-directional laboratory information systems (LIS), enables random and continuous access, and features a modular, scalable design that maximizes operational efficiency.

The cobas® eplex system enhances diagnostic workflows and may help to promote better diagnostic stewardship by supporting efficient, targeted testing. Flexible syndromic testing with automated reflex enables laboratories to configure panels that address specific diagnostic needs across diverse patient populations.* With less than one minute of hands-on time, advanced software capabilities, and a focus on flexibility, the cobas eplex system is designed for the patient and optimized for the lab.

Enhanced efficiency with our comprehensive panels

With high sensitivity and specificity, all of our panels support infection control and enable rapid and effective treatment decisions, supporting clinicians in improving patient outcomes.^1-4

The cobas® eplex blood culture identification panels (BCID) aid in detecting bacterial and fungal organisms and antibiotic resistance genes directly from positive blood cultures in about 1.5 hours.^2-4 They offer the broadest coverage of organisms and resistance markers that cause bloodstream infections (BSIs), including anaerobes, multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), and emerging fungal pathogens.^2-6 Their broad coverage means that about 95% of currently identified bloodstream infections can be detected early.**^2-4 By enabling fast, targeted therapy, the BCID panels support sepsis management, infection control, and antimicrobial stewardship.

Comprehensive coverage of respiratory pathogens beyond influenza, such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2, is critical in patients at higher risk for complications or more severe infections. The cobas® eplex respiratory pathogen panel 3 (RP3) detects more than 20 of the most common viruses and bacteria causing upper respiratory illness from a single sample in less than 2 hours.^1*** This supports effective infection control and respiratory illness management, particularly during high-demand seasons.

To continue addressing the growing demands of diagnostic laboratories, additional panels are in development to expand testing capabilities.^†

Benefits at a glance

Optimize your diagnostic workflow to enable enhanced patient care

While many systems offer sample-to-answer solutions, only the cobas eplex system's unique software ensures seamless integration from order to report, potentially maximizing the benefits of rapid, multiplex molecular diagnostics.^7-9

The cobas eplex system offers many unique solutions that were thoughtfully engineered to address the biggest challenges facing you in the clinical laboratory and to support hospital systems in delivering patient-centered, value-based care.

Reduce avoidable medical errors

Preventable medical errors are now the third leading cause of death in the United States at more than 250,000 per year.¹⁰ Automating information transfer has been shown to be effective in reducing many common errors, including patient identity checking and order transcription.¹¹

The cobas eplex system is uniquely designed with patient safety features in mind so that labs and physicians can have the confidence that they have the right patient, with the right test, and the right result, every time.

Reduce the chance of pre-analytical errors with < less than 1 minute hands-on time and guided workflows^1-4,7
Transcription errors can be eliminated in both order entry and result reporting with bi-directional LIS

Streamline administration and help ensure compliance

Monitoring and reporting quality control (QC) testing is both a requirement and a best practice to ensure the accuracy of patient results and compliance with lab standards. With on-board QC tracking capabilities and safeguards, you can run controls when required and easily track and report compliance.

In addition to automated QC tracking, the cobas eplex system provides the following compliance and data management tools:⁷

Integrated data analytics to easily monitor lab performance
On-demand epidemiology reports for export and simplified analysis
Fully configurable, auto-release of test results

All of these unique capabilities of the cobas eplex system allow you to reduce the time spent on routine administrative tasks and focus your limited resources on high-value activities that impact patient care and the bottom line.

A sample-to-answer solution

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A whole lab in just one tiny cartridge! Watch to learn more about the cobas eplex system, and discover how its easy-to-use workflow, software features, and automated results reporting into the Laboratory Information System (LIS) can benefit your laboratory.

Show video transcript

Imagine having an entire orchestra on one tiny cassette. Now, imagine having a whole lab in one tiny cartridge.

Designed for the patient, optimized for the lab—but it’s inside these cartridges where the real magic happens. Once the sample is pipetted into the cartridge and scanned, it can be loaded into any available bay of the cobas eplex system. From here on, there is no more manual manipulation of the cartridge. Everything else is fully automated.

All the necessary wet and dried reagents are already stored inside the cartridge. Electrowetting, a digital microfluidic technology, is utilized to move liquids over the hydrophobically coated surface of the circuit board. This is done with utmost precision. It’s fully automated and pre-programmed for the specific needs of every type of panel. This technique is highly flexible, ensuring accurate movement and fast turnaround time.

After purification and elution, the sample is moved towards the four PCR lanes on the circuit board, situated over three heaters controlled by the bay. The target DNA strands are mixed with a signal probe solution, which has a ferrocene label attached to it. Finally, they reach the four eSensor detection zones.

Target DNA further binds to a complementary capture probe dried onto a gold electrode within the detection zone, bringing the ferrocene label into close proximity to the electrode. A current is generated, triggering an electrochemical reaction that is interpreted as a positive signal.

The cobas eplex software can be fully integrated with the hospital’s LIS, making results available in real time. Users can be notified by email as soon as results are ready, minimizing the time from order to report. Predefined or templated comments can be attached to each result.

Templated comments provide immediate, customized instructions to clinicians, such as interpretive or therapeutic guidance. This patented feature reduces the time to effective therapy. The software also handles all reporting, monitors lot changes and QC, and ensures compliance and accountability for the hospital.

In addition to its small footprint, the cobas eplex system offers complete flexibility and scalability. It can be configured with up to four towers of six bays each, providing throughput of up to 288 tests per day. The system allows continuous random access for any test into any available bay at any time, making it a fast, sample-to-answer solution that is intuitive and easy to use. Intuitive colored LED lights indicate which bays are available.

The cobas eplex system offers a comprehensive range of multiplex panels for syndromic infectious disease diagnostics. For vulnerable groups such as young children, adults over 65, or immunocompromised patients, rapid diagnosis is vital.

The cobas eplex respiratory pathogen panel detects viruses and bacteria responsible for upper respiratory tract illnesses in approximately 90 minutes. The cobas eplex blood culture identification panels can detect 95% of fungi and bacteria causing sepsis. This makes the cobas eplex system’s fast and easy-to-use workflow vital for antimicrobial stewardship.

cobas eplex system—Accurate results and fast turnaround times… for you and your patients.

An entire lab... in a tiny cassette.

Overview

Ordering information

Explore the cobas eplex system

A scalable and modular solution: 3-bay system

3 test bays
Throughput (24 hours)^‡: 42 samples
Physical dimensions (H x D x W): 60 x 48 x 52 cm, 24” x 19” x 20”

1-tower system

6 test bays
Throughput (24 hours)^‡: 84 samples
Physical dimensions (H x D x W): 60 x 48 x 52 cm, 24” x 19” x 20”

2-tower system

12 test bays
Throughput (24 hours)^‡: 168 samples
Physical dimensions (H x D x W): 60 x 48 x 71 cm, 24” x 19” x 28”

3-tower system

18 test bays
Throughput (24 hours)^‡: 252 samples
Physical dimensions (H x D x W): 60 x 48 x 90 cm, 24” x 19” x 36”

4-tower system

24 test bays
Throughput (24 hours)^‡: 336 samples
Physical dimensions (H x D x W): 60 x 48 x 110 cm, 24” x 19” x 43”

Contact us

Do you have questions about our products or services? We’re here to help. Contact a Roche representative in your region.

*Automated reflex feature is still in development and will be available only on instrument software version (ISW) 3.2

**Based on ePlex Panel inclusivity compared to 2 representative US clinical data sets (not intended as sensitivity/performance claims): i) The GenMark prospective clinical study database (n=1,978); ii) 12 months of BCID clinical isolate data from 5 geographically diverse US hospitals (n=15,793).

***For In Vitro diagnostic use. Not available for sale in the US.

^†An updated version of the gastrointestinal panel and a meningitis & encephalitis panel are currently in development and are not available for sale.

^‡Based on 24 hour day

References:

cobas® eplex respiratory pathogen panel 3 CEIVD Package Insert Rev 1 2026.
cobas® eplex blood culture identification gram-positive (BCID-GP) panel Package Insert (v1.0). 2024.
cobas® eplex blood culture identification gram-negative (BCID-GN) panel Package Insert(v1.0). 2024.
cobas® eplex blood culture identification fungal panel (BCID-FP) Package Insert. (vC). 2024.
bioMerieux. BioFire Blood Culture Identification 2 (BCID2) Panel package insert. FIT-PRT-0841-02 June 2020.
Nanosphere Verigene Gram-Positive Blood Culture Nucleic Acid Test (BC-GP) package insert. 27- 00030-01, Rev. B; October 2012.
GenMark Diagnostics, Inc. cobas® eplex® System Instrument Software 3.0 User Assistance (v1.0) 2024.
bioMerieux. BIOFIRE FilmArray Torch Operators Manual, HTFA-PRT-0001-09, 2023.
Qiagen, QIAstat-Dx Analyzer 1.0 User Manual, HB-2942-001, 2021.
Makary MA and Michael D. Medical error—the third leading cause of death in the US. BMJ. 2016;353:i2139.
The National Academics of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. [Internet; cited 2017 Apr 20]. Available from: https://www.nap.edu/read/9728/chapter/4#39.

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