This agreement fosters compatibility among key vendors' instrumentation and chromatography data systems (CDS). Strengthening the 15-year arrangement, Thermo Scientific also introduced enhancements to its Chromeleon CDS software.

The new Chromeleon CDS software streamlines quality control workflows through improved compatibility with Agilent's gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) instrumentation. Also, for the first time, Thermo Fisher's GC, HPLC and selected Ion Chromatography (IC) instruments can also be controlled in Agilent's OpenLab CDS. This will increase flexibility and efficiency through implementation of instruments. Both organizations renew their commitment to providing solutions that enable users to run a single system with multiple instruments and prevent the implementation of new instruments.

"The lack of interoperability between different vendors' instruments and software has traditionally presented a barrier to laboratories adopting the solutions that best meet the unique needs of their workflows," said Matt Hazlewood, senior director, global enterprise chromatography data systems, Thermo Fisher Scientific. "The renewal of our commitment with Agilent for mutual compatibility and third-party control of instruments allows customers to have continued access to our market leading Chromeleon CDS software platform and deploy the analytical solutions they need without compromising the flexibility or efficiency of their workflows."

"Agilent's open-systems approach to laboratory informatics allows customers to select the best hardware and software for their needs," said John Sadler, vice president and general manager, software and informatics, Agilent Technologies. "That is why we invest in integrating third-party analytical instruments into our OpenLab software suite in collaboration with other analytical instrument manufacturers – our aim is to provide simple and complete support for our mutual customers."