Reclaiming Bench Time: Automated Extraction VS. Extractionless PCR

If you’re working to improve or scale the processes of your molecular laboratory, you may be faced with choosing between an extractionless Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) process or one that utilizes an automated extraction device. The choice can be challenging because it isn’t always clear which option will ultimately deliver higher throughput while also reducing errors, manual steps, and costs.

To help our customers navigate the options for their lab, we’ve presented these options side by side for a comprehensive analysis. The result? Using Simplicity™ Dx Extraction is the clear winner and a direct path to saving your lab 10 minutes per batch processed and 60 seconds for every sample, compared with common extractionless PCR methods.

Why Automated Extraction Prevails over Extractionless PCR

On its face, extractionless PCR appears faster, but a meaningful analysis must account for every step involved in the full extraction process. Here’s what we factored into our comparison:

• Faster Processing: Automated extraction delivers a full 22% faster turnaround per batch 
  (35 minutes vs. 45 minutes for extractionless PCR).
• Fewer Manual Steps: Technicians perform only 4 steps instead of 11, reducing human 
  error and repetitive strain.
• Dramatic Hands-On Time Reduction: Hands-on time is reduced by 70% (from 85 seconds 
  to 25 seconds per sample), allowing teams to process more samples each day.
• Superior Accuracy: Magnetic bead technology provides over 98% nucleic acid recovery and uniform results across all samples, while this can be more variable with a manual 
  extractionless process.
• Minimal Cross-Contamination: Built-in UV sterilization and fewer hands-on steps reduce 
  the risk of contamination, ensuring better quality control.
• Staff Optimization: Streamlined, touchscreen-guided workflows make training easy and 
  require less technical skill for the same expert results.

The Bottom Line

Labs using Simplicity™ Dx Extraction free up staff time for higher-value tasks and can handle a greater workload without increasing labor costs. This kind of efficiency translates directly into dollars saved—annual labor cost savings can reach over $10,000 for labs processing just 50 samples daily.

Want to see the ROI for your lab?

 Use our calculator to see how these time and cost savings could translate to your lab’s real-world volumes, expenses, and staffing.