Beyond the Swab: How Automation is Fixing Lab Testing's Weakest Link

RICHMOND, Va. – July 23, 2026 – At the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) 2026 annual meeting, a space typically dominated by complex analytical machines, a small device is addressing a far less glamorous but critically important problem: the messy, manual work that happens long before a sample ever reaches an analyzer. Virginia-based Alps Dx is debuting its Xpressor™ filtration and capping device, a solution engineered to bring order to the chaotic world of preanalytical oral fluid testing.

While the focus in diagnostics often falls on the sophisticated instruments that deliver final results, the integrity of those results hinges on the quality of the initial sample preparation. For years, this foundational step, particularly in oral fluid testing for forensic and clinical toxicology, has been a significant bottleneck—a manual, inconsistent process ripe for error. Alps Dx's new technology, paired with its broader automation platform, represents a concerted effort to rebuild this workflow from the ground up, promising a future of greater efficiency, consistency, and confidence in diagnostic outcomes.

The Bottleneck Before the Analysis

For anyone outside a toxicology lab, the journey of an oral fluid sample might seem straightforward. In reality, the preanalytical phase is a multi-step, labor-intensive gauntlet. Technicians often have to manually squeeze collection swabs, transfer the fluid to new tubes, and change gloves between every sample to prevent cross-contamination. Many labs resort to time-consuming centrifugation to separate particulates from the fluid, a step that adds time, cost, and another opportunity for sample loss or mishandling.

These manual processes are not just inefficient; they are a primary source of variability. Inconsistent squeezing pressure can lead to different sample volumes, and each handling step introduces a risk of human error or contamination. This variability compromises the quality of the sample sent for analysis, which can affect the performance of sensitive downstream instruments and, ultimately, the reliability of the test result. As noted by Dr. Les Edinboro, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Alps Dx, this has been a persistent challenge. "Preanalytical handling has historically been one of the most time-intensive and inconsistent stages of oral fluid testing," he stated.

This preanalytical friction has real-world consequences. It slows turnaround times, a critical factor in both clinical diagnostics and forensic investigations where backlogs are common. It also increases operational costs through wasted consumables, frequent glove changes, and the extensive labor required. By tackling this foundational weakness, Alps Dx is addressing a systemic problem that has long hindered the full potential of oral fluid as a diagnostic medium.

Engineering Simplicity into a Complex Workflow

Alps Dx's answer to this challenge is the Xpressor™, a device whose elegance lies in its simplicity. Instead of a multi-step transfer and filtration process, a technician simply opens the original sample collection tube and inserts the Xpressor, which functions as both a filter and a permanent cap. This two-step action filters the oral fluid directly within its chain-of-custody tube, preparing a clean, particle-free sample for analysis while preserving the original container for traceability.

According to the company, early independent studies confirm the approach significantly reduces manual handling and produces a more consistent level of sample clarity. Laboratories testing the device have reported tangible benefits, including fewer glove changes, lower contamination risk, and a notable reduction in the time spent processing each sample. By minimizing sample loss and consumable use, the system also aligns with modern laboratory goals of cost control and environmental sustainability.

"Xpressor was created to give laboratories a straightforward way to reduce manual, error-prone steps and protect sample integrity without altering established workflows," explained Dr. Edinboro. "By allowing filtration to occur within the original collection tube, we are helping laboratories operate with greater consistency and confidence."

This device is a key component of a larger vision. Alps Dx is also showcasing its Atelier™ platform, a high-throughput laboratory automation system that fully integrates the Xpressor. Atelier automates the entire preanalytical workflow, from decapping and barcode identification to processing and inserting the Xpressor filter. This end-to-end automation moves laboratories from manual, inconsistent work to a standardized, traceable, and highly efficient operation. As Alps Dx President and CEO Ali Safavi put it, "This solution is an important part of our connected approach to modernizing the preanalytical continuum."

Reshaping Lab Economics with Automation-as-a-Service

The introduction of the Atelier platform highlights another significant shift in how modern laboratories operate: the move away from large, upfront capital investments. Alps Dx is offering Atelier on a subscription basis, an "as-a-service" model that is gaining traction across the health tech industry. This approach fundamentally changes the economic calculation for labs looking to adopt advanced automation.

Traditionally, acquiring a high-throughput automation platform required a substantial capital expenditure, creating a high barrier to entry for smaller labs or institutions with tight budgets. A subscription model converts this into a predictable operational expense, allowing labs to access state-of-the-art technology without draining capital resources. This democratizes innovation, enabling a wider range of facilities to improve efficiency and scale their operations in response to changing demands.

This model offers operational flexibility, as labs can scale their capacity up or down without being locked into equipment they own. It also mitigates the risk of technological obsolescence, as the provider is responsible for updates and maintenance. While some may prefer the long-term equity of owning an asset, the subscription trend reflects a broader industry desire for agility and a focus on core scientific work rather than equipment management. For procurement officers and healthcare CFOs, this shift from CapEx to OpEx represents a strategic tool for managing budgets and accelerating technology adoption.

Building the Foundation for a Non-Invasive Future

The innovations from Alps Dx are arriving at a pivotal moment for oral fluid testing. As a non-invasive alternative to blood and urine, saliva offers significant advantages in ease of collection and reduced potential for sample adulteration, making it increasingly popular for everything from workplace drug screening to clinical diagnostics. However, its widespread adoption has been hampered by the very preanalytical inconsistencies that Xpressor and Atelier are designed to solve.

By creating a more standardized, reliable, and efficient front-end workflow, Alps Dx is not just selling a product; it is building the essential infrastructure needed to elevate oral fluid testing into a more robust and trusted diagnostic tool. A cleaner, more consistent sample improves the performance of analytical instruments and enhances the accuracy of results, which could in turn encourage the development of new oral fluid-based assays for a wider range of diseases and conditions.

The company's comprehensive portfolio, which spans instruments, consumables, and software, points to a long-term strategy of supporting the entire sample journey. This connected ecosystem aims to create a seamless, data-rich workflow from the point of collection—whether in a clinic, a workplace, or a decentralized setting—all the way through to the final laboratory analysis. By focusing on the foundational mechanics of sample integrity, Alps Dx is helping to ensure that the future of non-invasive diagnostics is built on a solid, reliable system.