Roche Diagnostics recognizes Sentara Consolidated Laboratories as Roche Molecular Center of Excellence

INDIANAPOLIS, April 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today the establishment of a strategic alliance with Sentara Consolidated Laboratories of Norfolk, Va., that designates the institution as a Roche Molecular Center of Excellence (MCOE).

Established in 2002, Roche's MCOE network enables non-competing regional laboratories across the U.S. to collaborate and capitalize on scientific knowledge in molecular testing and, in turn, help accelerate the advancement of new test methods and technology. Sentara Healthcare is an integrated healthcare system that has 28,000 employees and includes 12 hospitals and multiple patient care facilities across Virginia and North Carolina.

"Roche is very pleased to welcome Sentara Consolidated Laboratories into the Molecular Centers of Excellence network," said Jack Phillips, president and CEO of Roche Diagnostics Corporation. "The network will especially benefit from their expertise in lab quality, automation and informatics, and we look forward to working together to implement molecular technologies for the advancement of personalized medicine."

Sentara is one of 33 labs that have received the MCOE designation and joined in the strategic partnership. "This relationship with the MCOE network will help keep Sentara on the forefront of diagnostics," said Tabetha Sundin, Ph.D., acting director, Sentara Consolidated Laboratory Services. "It will also support our focus on improving efficiency within the lab and ensuring that the right test and right technology are used at the right time."  

As a nationally recognized Roche MCOE, Sentara Consolidated Laboratories will offer physicians and patients some of the latest and most innovative technologies in molecular and tissue diagnostics, and will help provide input to Roche for the development of next-generation diagnostic solutions.

About Sentara Healthcare
Sentara Healthcare, based in Norfolk, Va., celebrates more than 125 years in pursuit of its mission to improve health every day. Sentara is an integrated not-for-profit system of 12 hospitals in Virginia and North Carolina, including a Level I trauma center with Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance. The Sentara family also includes four medical groups, ambulatory campuses, senior care services, home care and hospice services, Medical Transport, LLC, the physician-led Sentara Quality Care Network, the Sentara College of Health Sciences, Optima Health Plan members in Virginia, Alabama and Ohio, and a team of professionals 28,000 strong. Sentara is strategically focused on continuous improvement in quality, safety, and the patient experience.

About the Roche Molecular Centers of Excellence (MCOE) network
Established in 2002, the Roche MCOE network includes about 30 leading U.S. diagnostic laboratories and provides a forum to collaborate on strategies to optimize the utilization of molecular solutions in laboratory testing. The network leverages the expertise of thought leaders at these institutions to advance current and emerging technologies?including molecular diagnostics, tissue diagnostics and sequencing?to help laboratories address healthcare challenges and contribute to improved patient care.

About Roche
Roche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science to improve people's lives. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalized healthcare ? a strategy that aims to fit the right treatment to each patient in the best way possible.

Roche is the world's largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management.

Founded in 1896, Roche continues to search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable contribution to society. The company also aims for improving patient access to medical innovations by working with all relevant stakeholders. Twenty-nine medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and cancer medicines. Roche has been recognized as the Group Leader in sustainability within the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Industry eight years in a row by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).

The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2016 employed more than 94,000 people worldwide. In 2016, Roche invested CHF 9.9 billion in R&D and posted sales of CHF 50.6 billion. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information, please visit www.roche.com or usdiagnostics.roche.com.

All trademarks mentioned in this release are protected by law.

For further information, please contact:

Roche
Mike Weist
Communications Business Partner, Molecular Diagnostics
Roche Diagnostics Corporation
Indianapolis, Indiana USA
(317) 521-3112
[email protected]

Sentara Healthcare
Dale Gauding          
Senior Communications Advisor
Sentara Healthcare
Norfolk, VA
(757) 455-7118
[email protected]

SOURCE Roche Diagnostics