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    Discovery chemistry labs synthesizing new molecular entities (NMEs) are under pressure to improve their productivity. Optimizing the design-make-test-analyze (DMTA) cycle in the discovery process means ensuring the slow, iterative make step in the process is faster, more predictable and less time-consuming. Although both synthesis and purification in the make step are regarded as most challenging, it is purification that is the most critical aspect of the chemists work. Chemists cannot afford to spend the majority of their time and energy purifying target molecules as this slows down the discovery chemistry process. Effective and reliable purification tools and technologies are critical to the step-change needed in the make cycle. Let’s see how this is possible by partnering with reliable vendors.

    The necessity of achieving efficient and reliable purification

    Having once been a discovery chemist, responsible for creating NMEs, I agree that purification is the most critical step in the iterative DMTA cycle. After all, delivering sufficient highly purified new compound is a prerequisite for reliable bioassay screen results. The problem was that purification was also the most problematic and least enjoyable of my daily activities.

    When I managed a laboratory in a contract research organization, where I was responsible for purifying NMEs and shipping these to clients, I learned a valuable lesson – in addition to being efficient in delivering sufficient purity and recovery the purification step also had to be predictable and reliable. My firm’s clients expected to receive their NMEs at specified times for further testing, and their own research milestones depended on this. My firm expected to be able to invoice to maintain profitability. More importantly, I had to come to terms with the fact that my efforts to optimize methods could be easily undone if my purification systems did not deliver as required, or the equipment vendor was unsupportive after product failures. It was a tough lesson to realize that I was not entirely in control of my purification outcomes.
     

    getting to predictable outcomes with trustworthy partners
    Getting to predictable outcomes with trustworthy partners

    I realized that i f I was ever going to be able to predict my purification outcomes I would need to really trust my solutions vendor. I learned that optimizing the DMTA cycle (and getting control over the outcomes) comes down to a handful of characteristics in a trustworthy vendor.
    First, the trustworthy vendor produces high-quality solutions that incorporate intelligent software developed for purpose. This means having experts and application chemists who understand my needs. Another indicator is system software solutions that go beyond basic enablement and assist the user in performing their application optimally. Software for high-quality systems evolves to meet the ever-changing needs of customers. Vendors should have established quality control processes in place to ensure manufacturing consistency, which is especially important for system consumables.

    Second, the vendor is responsible and backs its products. Truly responsible vendors care about my productivity as a scientist and satisfaction as a customer. All laboratory systems and consumables can have issues from time to time, but a responsible vendor will resolve these quickly and satisfactorily.

    Third, the vendor has a highly skilled and responsive service organization with routines for contacting them and registering problems. In addition, the trustworthy vendor often connects customers to a member of staff who can triage and even resolve issues before sending out a field service engineer. The service engineer is knowledgeable about the systems they support and responsive to my needs as a customer.


    Biotage® energizes research efforts as the dependable, trusted partner

    As a customer, I came to know Biotage® as a trustworthy partner, a producer of high-quality solutions that is also chemist-centric. This motivated me to move over to the vendor side and join the Biotage team. As a true partner should be, Biotage aim to help the user in every possible way. Not only is Biotage a pioneer in flash purification, but the company also focuses on delivering high-quality, intelligent solutions for the entire make workflow. In addition, Biotage comprises a wealth of experts, chemists like me, who are committed to providing product- and applications support and training. Biotage also has a well-established responsive service organization comprised of knowledgeable engineers.

    Monitoring customer satisfaction

    Imagining myself as the discovery chemist I used to be, I need to truly believe that Biotage is a dependable, trusted solutions vendor. As scientists, we at Biotage are also date-driven which is why we continuously measure how we are doing at being that trusted partner for the discovery chemists that select Biotage.

    Here are some things our customers say:
    “We are very satisfied with it!” – Dr. Longhi on Biotage® Initiator & Alstra™

    “Whenever minor technical issues occurred, they were promptly solved by Biotage staff.” – The laboratory of Prof. Hiroyuki Miyachi at Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences

    “We’ve had no problems with it since installation, even though many students from other laboratories also use it. I am completely satisfied with its robust design.” – User Report: Initiator/ Gakushuin University

    “Maintenance is easy. Once, when a vial broke and contaminated some components inside the cavity, we were able to replace the contaminated components immediately, by ourselves. Simple maintenance is important for doing experiments efficiently.” – Curing Disease with Sugars University of Milan Customer Case

    “‘Easy’ has been a keyword in our experience with Biotage. This is very important for a small group like ours – students are rotating rapidly and the ability to transfer the know-how smoothly is key to keeping the instrument going. Researchers who use the Syro I speak highly of Biotage customer support service, and they appreciate the ease and convenience of being able to ask questions in Japanese over the phone when they need help understanding.” – User Report : Syro I/ University of Tokyo

    “But the biggest reason why I chose ISOLUTE SLE+ was its high reproducibility. Reproducibility is critical when it comes to extraction.” –Professor Masaru Terada, Head of the Forensic Medicine Lab at Toho University in Japan

    We follow up on customer satisfaction after each service intervention. Users evaluate the service they receive, the product in general, and can also comment with free text. If they are not satisfied in any particular area then this will influence their overall response. The snapshot below includes regional results from 2017 and reflects scoring on a reference scale of 1–10. The results indicate how Biotage service is delivering to user expectations.

      Users feedback_konfidence
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Biotage technologies provide smart, reliable, and effective tools for research and we understand how what we do impacts the research of the discovery chemists we serve. Click below to read more about the latest step-change in purification.

     
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