Immunivest Corporation

Veridex, Lcc

Jerry Prohaska

Michael Kagan

Tor Alden

Galla Chandra Rao

Robert Barry

David Laporta

Herman Rutner

Douglas Keene

Teresa Bendele

Dave Lapeus

Jared Mayes

Thomas Harbart

Douglas Paynter

Dave Howard

The present invention provides a protocol and apparatus for enriching circulating tumor cells and other rare cells from blood, including debris and other components, from samples with high precision and at high throughput rates. This invention discloses an improved processing system from previously described semi-automated sample processing. The system further reduces operator intervention and hands-on time from prior systems. While this system has general utility in processing diverse materials, the system is configured for sample processing of biological specimens to provide an enriched fraction suitable for detection, enumeration and identification of target cells by appropriate analytical methodologies. The presence and quantities of such target cells in a sample specimen can utilized for screening and detection in disease such as cancer, assessing early stage pre-metastatic cancer, monitoring for disease remission in response to therapy and selection of more effective dose regimens or alternative therapies in case of relapse.

Operator independent programmable sample preparation and analysis system

An improved cartridge for holding a fluid sample with a small volume is disclosed herein. The cartridge has a test chamber and a vestibule through which the test fluids are inserted into the test chamber. Improved grips are flared-out to aid manipulation. The handle portion is reinforced to prevent flexing, and a prefabricated trough along the edge of the land surface prevents introduction of the adhesive into the region for analysis. The cartridge has a stopper having a dual sealing mechanism, which seals the test chamber inlet between the vestibule and the test chamber, and the mouth of the vestibule so that when the stopper is in place, the test chamber is closed to the admission of air or other contaminants. The vestibule is similarly closed against escape of the overflow from the test chamber. The stopper is composed of a single elastomer. An improved locking mechanism has two flexible walls on either side of the handhold that locks into their respective keepers on the cartridge to provide a secure lock. Additionally, an improved method for loading the cartridge allows for an even distribution of magnetically responsive particles contained within a fluid sample to be viewed in an array through the optically clear land surface portion of the cartridge.

Cartridge for containing a specimen sample for optical analysis

Upon a cartridge for containing a specimen sample for optical analysis

Autoprep instrument

Analytical instrument

Growing community of inventors

Huntingdon Valley, PA, United States of America

Jerry Prohaska