cobAs

cobas is Roche Diagnostics' brand for automated clinical laboratory instruments and assays. The cobas platforms are designed to streamline analysis of clinical specimens across chemistry, immunology, and molecular diagnostics, providing automated handling, testing, and data reporting to support high-throughput laboratory workflows.

The cobas family includes modular chemistry/immunoassay analyzers such as the cobas 6000 and cobas 8000 series, which combine analyzers for clinical chemistry with immunoassay modules. For molecular diagnostics, Roche offers the cobas 6800 and 8800 Systems, which enable automated nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) on a high-throughput scale, including assays for various infectious diseases such as SARS-CoV-2. The platforms typically feature integrated sample preparation, real-time PCR detection, and interfaces to laboratory information systems, with reagents and software designed to support quality control and results reporting.

History and usage: Since its introduction, the cobas line has been deployed in many hospitals and reference laboratories worldwide as part of Roche's diagnostic solutions. The brand emphasizes modularity and scalability, allowing laboratories to expand capabilities by adding modules or upgrading systems as throughput needs grow. As with any diagnostic platform, use is governed by regulatory approvals, user qualification, and performance verification for individual assays.