LumiraDx Partners with XDry for Expertise and Leadership in Raw Material Storage and Preservation

This article featured as in USTech. Founded in 2014, LumiraDx is a next-generation point of care (POC) diagnostics company that is transforming community-based healthcare. LumiraDx manufactures and commercializes an innovative diagnostic platform that supports a broad menu of tests with lab-comparable performance at the POC. LumiraDx diagnostic testing solutions are being deployed by governments and leading healthcare institutions across laboratories, urgent care, physician offices, pharmacies, schools, and workplaces to screen, diagnose, and monitor wellness as well as disease. The company is headquartered in the UK with more than 1600 employees worldwide.

The LumiraDx team brings significant expertise in developing, manufacturing, and commercializing industry-leading POC diagnostic platforms using cloud-based platforms to integrate health system networks and transfer patient data and using data to develop supported self-care plans to improve individuals’ health and system-wide outcomes.

“We are focused on customer experience and dedicated to getting it right every time,” said Alanna Sparks, R&D Platform Engineer.

LumiraDx prides itself on providing simple, accessible, and affordable POC testing. As such, it partners only with other companies with the same dedication to service, flexibility, and quality. XDry is one such company.

“As industry leading innovators, we have developed a state-of-the-art Platform, to deliver high accuracy diagnostics for community-based healthcare,” said Alanna Sparks, R&D Platform Engineer.
We focus on providing simple, accessible, and affordable POC testing. Partnering with the team at XDry provides us with peace of mind that our raw materials are being kept clean, dry and moisture-free so that we can continue with our mission – and passion – of improving community-based healthcare.”

A leading supplier of humidity-controlled storage cabinets for manufacturing, laboratories and preservation, XDry has more than 15 years of experience manufacturing dry cabinet storage systems. Founder Kevin McCarten was an early pioneer in the design of humidity-controlled storage – also known as auto-electronic desiccator storage cabinets. XDry offers a wide selection of dry storage cabinets to choose from, including storage for printed circuit boards, moisture sensitive devices (MSD), optics, laboratory equipment, industrial equipment, collectables, media and more.

In mid-October 2021, after much consideration, LumiraDx purchased two XDry systems: an XD1-151-02 and an XD2-502-01.

The XD1-151-02 is part of the XDry 151 series dry cabinet that is sized to sit on a laboratory benchtop or to be installed at various points on the electronics assembly production line. Its small footprint and light weight make it virtually portable, allowing an ultra-low humidity (RH) environment to be provided wherever it is required. This dry cabinet is configured standard with three stainless steel shelves that can be adjusted. The user can add additional shelves or remove them entirely to accommodate larger items.

XD2-502-01 also is part of the XDry line of competitively priced dry cabinets. The deep cabinet features two large doors that close onto an easily removeable and replaceable center bar. This design allows full access to the cabinet interior, providing convenient storage for large or odd-shaped items as well as standard trays or reels. The deep cabinet can be configured with one or two X-133 desiccant dryers, providing storage and desiccating solutions for both long-term inventory and production environments.

Sparks said that LumiraDx originally purchased the smaller 01 model from a third-party vendor, but unfortunately it only worked for a short time. It was out of warranty with the third-party’s policy so the company contacted XDry directly to ask for assistance and were informed that the unit purchased from the third party was approximately 10 years old. She added, “XDry’s customer service has been amazing as they offered us different models at similar prices and were able to bundle multiple units for us at a discounted price. Kevin McCarten was very informative and always quick to reply, which we appreciated since we were on a relatively tight timeframe.” LumiraDx is using the dry chambers to keep raw materials clean, dry, and free from moisture.

The company manufactures The LumiraDx Platform and tests, which are designed on the same principles as lab analyser systems, to deliver accurate results compared to laboratory reference assays across a number of parameters, in a portable, easy-to-use POC solution. The instrument provides a simple, intuitive user interface that provides step-by-step testing workflow. It weighs only a little over 2 lb., uses rechargeable battery or mains power, and is capable of going wherever the patient is located. It integrates several technologies and sample types in a single Instrument, and offers lab-comparable results in minutes at the POC.

LumiraDx has on the market and in development, 30+ tests covering infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and coagulation disorders, all on the LumiraDx Platform. Additionally, LumiraDx has a comprehensive portfolio of fast, accurate, and cost-efficient COVID-19 testing solutions from the lab to point of need.

The purpose of the XDry purchase of both cabinets is to keep the raw materials free from small particles and debris while keeping them dry. “We decided to purchase a new version of this original since the original meets the specifications required to keep our material clean and dry.”

“We liked the size of the unit since it does not take up too much space in the lab,” Sparks added. “Also, it can sit on top of the counter space.” She also said that McCarten explained about the 502 model, which is four times the volume of the 151 unit. So instead of purchasing three 151 units as originally planned, the company was able to purchase one 151 and one 502. The XDry cabinets allow LumiraDx the confidence that its raw materials are being kept clean and dry so that they can run R&D testing confidently and accurately.

Sparks also said that XDry’s customer service has been excellent. “Kevin replies in a timely manner and has provided us with many options when looking for equipment. For example, when I was on the phone with Kevin, he went through all the differences between the available units and what exactly we would benefit from. He then sent me the datasheets of the units so that I could go through them with my team.” She added that the systems were simple to set up and install. The front of the unit is very self-explanatory so that users can see the environmental conditions inside.

For more information about LumiraDx, contact Alanna Sparks at the US office, located at 221 Crescent Street, 5th Floor, Waltham, MA 02453; 888; 586-4721; E-mail: alanna.sparks@lumiradx.com; Web site: www.lumiradx.com.

About XDry Corp.

The company has more than 15 years of experience manufacturing dry cabinet storage systems. Founder Kevin McCarten was an early pioneer in the design of humidity-controlled storage – also known as auto-electronic desiccator storage cabinets. There is a wide selection of dry storage cabinets to choose from, including storage for printed circuit boards, moisture sensitive devices (MSD), optics, laboratory equipment, industrial equipment, collectables, media and more.

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