Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.

Hoffmann-la Roche Inc.

Roche Diagnostics Gmbh

F. Hoffmann-la Roche Ag

Norbert Oranth

Thorsten Brueckner

Juergen Spinke

Nadine Losleben

Christoph Boehm

Sascha Lutz

Adelbert Grossmann

Erich Haendler

Timo Klein

Peter Kupser

Carlo S Effenhauser

Dieter Mangold

Christoph Ritter

Achim Sinz

Christian Riether

Peter Koltay

Eloisa Lopez-Calle

Martin Burri

Josef Roedl

Jürgen Spinke

Laurent Tanguy

Valerie Winckler-Desprez

James Kenneth Tusa

Gerd Schweiger

Valerie Desprez

Michael Brauner

Thomas Kotnig

Christoph Bohm

Jurgen Spinke

Thorsten Bruckner

Thorsten BRÜCKNER

Christoph BÖHM

Erich Händler

Gert DI Schweiger

A micro fluid filtration system () preferably for increasing the concentration of components contained in a fluid sample has a fluid circuitry (). The fluid circuitry () comprises the following elements: A tangential flow filtration element () capable for separating the fluid sample into a retentate stream and a permeate stream upon passage of the fluid, an element for pumping () for creating and driving a fluid flow through the fluid circuitry () and at least one element for obtaining information about the properties of the fluid sample within the circuitry. The circuitry further comprises a plurality of conduits () connecting the elements of the fluid circuitry () through which a fluid stream of the fluid sample is conducted. The circuitry () has a minimal working volume of at most 5 ml, which is the minimal fluid volume retained in the elements and the conduits () of the circuitry () such that the fluid can be recirculated in the circuitry () without pumping air through the circuitry (). An integrated microfluidic element () of the circuitry () contains the functionality of at least two elements of the group of elements of the circuitry ().

Micro flow filtration system and integrated microfluidic element

A method of dispensing a particle mixture and a reagent fluid cartridge are presented. The cartridge comprises a first reservoir partially filled with reagent fluid, a second reservoir partially filled with particles, a pumping chamber, a first pumping chamber conduit connecting the first reservoir and the pumping chamber, a second pumping chamber conduit connecting the second reservoir and the pumping chamber, an outlet for dispensing reagent fluid and particles from the cartridge, an outlet conduit connecting the outlet to the pumping chamber, and a valve sealing the outlet conduit. The method comprises closing the valve, applying a force to the plunger to transport a first defined volume of reagent fluid and second defined volume of particles into the pumping chamber to form a mixture of reagent fluid and particles, opening the valve, and forcing the mixture from the pumping chamber using the plunger to dispense the mixture from the outlet.

Method and cartridge for dispensing particles and a reagent fluid in an automatic analyzer

A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The method comprises a number of sample container carriers on a transport plane by a number of electro-magnetic actuators. The method is adapted to compensate deviations regarding physical properties of the sample container carriers, the transport plane and the electro-magnetic actuators compared to reference components. A laboratory automation system comprising such a laboratory sample distribution system is also presented.

Method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system, laboratory sample distribution system and laboratory automation system

A cartridge for dispensing fluid is presented. The cartridge comprises a valve. The valve comprises a pumping chamber for pumping the fluid. The valve positions a pumping chamber conduit. The pumping chamber conduit is connected to the pumping chamber. The cartridge further comprises a plunger for changing the volume of the pumping chamber. The cartridge further comprises a reservoir conduit for connecting the reservoir with the valve. The valve positions the pumping chamber conduit to connect with the reservoir conduit. The cartridge further comprises an outlet conduit for dispensing the fluid. The valve further rotates the pumping chamber conduit to connect with the outlet conduit.

Cartridge for dispensing a fluid

A method for determining the amount of a specific analyte by photometric assays, wherein the specific analyte in a sample reacts with an analyte specific reaction partner in a reaction mixture. At least two calibration curves are generated, the first calibration curve recorded at a first wavelength is optimized for low concentrations of the specific analyte thereby maximizing the lower detection limit and, the second calibration curve recorded at a second wavelength is optimized for high concentrations of the specific analyte thereby maximizing the upper detection limit. The optimized lower detection limit and the optimized upper detection limit results in an extended dynamic range.

Sensitivity and the dynamic range of photometric assays by generating multiple calibration

A micro flow filtration system comprises a fluid circuitry () and a first reservoir () outside the circuitry () suitable for containing a fluid. The fluid circuitry () comprises a tangential flow filtration module () capable of separating the fluid sample into a retentate stream and a permeate stream upon passage of the fluid sample into the tangential flow filtration module () through an inlet feed (). The fluid circuitry () further comprises a second reservoir () integrated in the fluid circuitry (), a pump () for creating and driving a fluid flow, optionally at least one pressure sensor (or) for acquiring and detecting data about the fluid sample, optionally a pressure regulator () for regulating the flow in the fluid circuitry () and a plurality of conduits () forming the fluid circuitry () together with the second reservoir (), the TFF-module (), the pump (), the pressure sensor (or) (if present) and the pressure regulator () (if present). The volume of the first reservoir () outside the circuitry () is significantly larger than the volume of the second reservoir (). The first reservoir () outside the fluid circuitry () is connected to the circuitry () via a connection conduit () such that the fluid flows unidirectionally into the circuitry () until the first reservoir () is empty so that a continuous fluid flow from the first reservoir () to the circuitry () is established.

Micro flow filtration system and flow filtration method

A flow filtration system () for concentration of components contained in a fluid sample comprises a fluid channel () being formed by two conduits () allowing a bidirectional flow of the fluid sample through the fluid channel (), a tangential flow filtration module () and at least two pairs () of piston pumps () each having two piston pumps (), wherein the piston pumps () having a piston swept volume forming a reservoir being able to contain the fluid for volumes of up to 100 ml. The tangential flow filtration module () is located in the fluid channel () so that a fluid flowing through the channel () passes through the filtration module (). At each end () of the channel () one piston pump () of each pair () of piston pumps () is located in such a manner that the piston pumps are fluidically connected in parallel. The system () is arranged and adapted such that during the concentration process at least for a predetermined period of time only one of the pairs () of piston pumps () is used to drive the fluid through the tangential flow filtration module ().

Micro flow filtration system and flow filtration method for a fluid sample

A cartridge for dispensing a fluid is presented. The cartridge comprises a reservoir chamber for receiving the fluid and for receiving a ventilation gas. The reservoir chamber comprises an inlet for receiving the ventilation gas and an outlet for dispensing the fluid. At least a portion of the reservoir chamber is filled with the ventilation gas when in an operating position. The inlet is located in the portion being filled with the ventilation gas. The fluid comprises a reagent. The cartridge further comprises a baffle for restricting gas diffusion through the inlet. The reservoir chamber receives the ventilation gas via the baffle. The inlet is maintains a constant gas pressure within the portion of the reservoir chamber that is being filled with the ventilation gas.

Cartridge for dispensing a fluid comprising a reagent

A test element and method for detecting an analyte with the aid thereof is provided. The test element is essentially disk-shaped and flat, and can be rotated about a preferably central axis which is perpendicular to the plane of the disk-shaped test element. The test element has a sample application opening for applying a liquid sample, a capillary-active zone, in particular a porous, absorbent matrix, having a first end that is remote from the axis and a second end that is near to the axis, and a sample channel which extends from an area near to the axis to the first end of the capillary-active zone that is remote from the axis.

Rotatable test element

A method and device for optically scanning an object is provided. A detection device optically scans a scanning region of the object by displacing the detection device and the object relative to one another into successive scanning positions spaced apart by a scanning step size along a scanning direction in an object plane. An optical imaging device generates a plurality of scanned images by imaging a partial scanning region from the object plane onto a detection surface in an image plane in the scanning positions. The plurality of scanned images are broken down into scanned part images and are combined to generate combined result images. At least one object measurement image is selected from the combined result images in accordance with one or more predetermined selection criteria.

Method and device for optically scanning an object and device

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining an analyte in a fluid. Provided in the device is a stirring zone formed in an optionally microfluidic three-dimensional structure, into which stirring zone a sample of the fluid can be introduced and in which there is a stirring device which can be operated in a contactless manner and is optionally designed as a microstirrer, the stirring device being configured so as to stir the sample of fluid introduced into the stirring zone and being loaded with at least one reagent which reacts with the analyte. The invention also provides a stirring device which can be operated in a contactless manner and is optionally designed as a microstirrer, the stirring device being loaded with the at least one reagent which reacts with the analyte.

Apparatus and method for determining an analyte in a fluid

A method for the determination of an analyte in a liquid sample, especially a body liquid sample, with the aid of an analytical apparatus. The apparatus receives a first measuring signal s(i=0, 1, . . . ) and a second measuring signal s(j=1, 2, . . . ; j&#x3e;i) for a test system with several successively arranged measuring areas through which a liquid sample with an analyte can flow after being applied on the test system are received by an evaluation apparatus comprised by the analytical apparatus, wherein the first measuring signal sindicates a part of the analyte bound in a first measuring area and the second measuring signal sindicates a part of the analyte bound in a second measuring area that is arranged downstream the first measuring area on the test system after the application of the liquid sample on the test system, a concentration measure N correlating with the concentration of the analyte in the liquid sample is determined by the evaluation apparatus in accordance with the following linkage of measuring signals: the concentration measurement is outputted by the evaluation apparatus after a selective further processing. Furthermore, the invention relates to an analytical apparatus for the determination of an analyte in a liquid sample as well as to a computer readable medium for performing function to determine an analyte in a liquid sample.

Method and apparatus for determining an analyte in a liquid sample

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for analyzing a dry-chemical test element, in particular an immunological test element, wherein, in the method, a dry-chemical test element is analyzed by optical scanning, whereby measurement light beams leaving assay regions of the test element, which are loaded with one or more immobilized optically active substances, with a respective measurement light intensity are detected by a detector device. The method comprises the following steps: during the optical scanning of a first assay region, from which the measurement light beams leave with a first measurement light intensity, a first quantity of light from measurement light beams which impinges on the detector device and a working range of the detector device are adapted to one another by selecting scanning parameters according to a first set of scanning parameters, and during the optical scanning of a second assay region, from which the measurement light beams leave with a second measurement light intensity which differs from the first measurement light intensity, a second quantity of light from measurement light beams which impinges on the detector device and the working range of the detector device are adapted to one another by selecting scanning parameters according to a second set of scanning parameters which differs from the first set of scanning parameters.

Method and apparatus for analyzing a dry-chemical test element

The present invention concerns a polymer layer for a sensor, wherein the polymer layer has nanoparticles embedded therein which impart to the polymer layer recognizing properties as well as transducer properties, a sensor comprising such layer and the use of the sensor for detecting and/or quantifying a target analyte.

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Voerstetten, Germany

Norbert Oranth