Business


automated liquid handlers and plate readers in Europe. The majority of the other rentals or leas- es disclosed appeared to be mainly one-off arrangements negotiated directly with instrument vendors, leasing companies or banks. High inter- est among respondents for renting acoustic dis- pensing, mass spec or NGS platforms suggests these are areas where vendors should be more receptive to offering rental or lease options. Specific enquiries about NGS platforms made while writing this review established the follow- ing. In the current economic environment along with the threat of sequestration of NIH funds, Life Technologies believes that having financing options will be critical to driving adoption of NGS instruments in 2013 and beyond and this is reflect- ed in the increasing volume of leasing deals that were completed in recent years (Figure 8). Life Technologies works with a professional leasing partner to offer options that vary by geographic region. In Roche it is the responsibility of local sales organisations and most of them do provide leasing or rental options and many customers are interested in these options. Illumina supports instrument lease programmes in selected markets through a professional leasing partner. Of a range of current and alternative purchasing strategies for lab instruments, greatest interest was shown in paying a monthly rental fee that includes full instrument support, maintenance and/or replacement either on a monthly basis or with a fixed term contract (eg one year). Occasionally purchasing new equipment can be restricted owing to internal procedures requiring a demonstrated evaluation (ie validation of the benefits) of a new instrument prior to a committal to purchase. In such circumstances lab instrument rental provides the ideal solution to access an instrument or gain familiarity with a technology, where the typical vendor demonstration period prior to sale is of insufficient duration or not offered at the cus- tomer’s site. Rental is a particularly attractive option where the company renting is uncertain of their long term success or commitment to research area or has only a limited or short term require- ment for the instrument rented. Contract research organisations are also receptive to the merits of lab instrument rental since it allows them to react quickly to changing industry trends, to resource new projects requirements and provide customers the widest breadth of assays or services, without major impact on their capex spending. 19% of survey respondents indicated they defi- nitely would give instrument rental or lease a try over the next few years rather than buy it outright,


Drug Discovery World Spring 2013


Figure 8: Life Technologies believe that having financing options will be critical to driving adoption of its Ion Torrent NGS instruments


if it were available at a reasonable monthly fee. A further 26% reported they were highly likely (50- 95%) to rent or lease over the next few years (Figure 9).


Regarding the possible cost of lab instrument rental, 25% was the median maximum percentage


Figure 9: Likelihood will rent/lease a lab instrument over next three years


Would not/never consider (0%)


Highly likely (50-95%) Quite possibly (10-50%) Unlikely (0-10%)


Would definitely give it a try (>95%) 0% © HTStec 2012 3% 11% 40% 26% 19%


5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% % Responding


Figure 10: Percentage of total outright purchase price respondents would expect to pay annually to rent an lab instrument


>40% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% <10%


18% 15% 25% 31% 5% 7%


0% 0% 0%


0% © HTStec 2012


5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% % Responding


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