Lifescan Scotland Limited

Diabetes Diagnostics, Inc.

Inverness Medical Technology, Inc.

Oliver W H Davies

Manuel Alvarez-Icaza

Jerome F McAleer

Elliot V Plotkin

David Scott

Geoff Hall

Christopher Philip Leach

Manuel Alvarez-Lcaza

An improved disposable glucose test strip for use in a test meter of the type which receives a disposable test strip and a sample of blood from a patient and performs an electrochemical analysis is made using a non-conductive integrated reagent/blood separation layer containing a filler, an enzyme effective to oxidize glucose, e.g., glucose oxidase, and a mediator effective to transfer electrons from the enzyme. The integrated layer formulation is printed over a conductive carbon element to form a working electrode. The filler, for example a silica filler, is selected to have a balance of hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity such that one drying it forms a two-dimensional network on the surface of the conductive element. The response of this test strip is essentially temperature independent over relevant temperature ranges and is substantially insensitive to the hematocrit of the patient.

Disposable test strips with integrated reagent/blood separation layer

In accordance with the present invention a measuring device compares the current generated by two working sensor parts and gives an error indication if they are too dissimilar, i.e., the current at one sensor part differs too greatly from what would be expected from considering the current at the other. Not only can this method detect when one of the sensor parts has not been properly covered with sample liquid, but it can also detect if there is a manufacturing defect in either sensor part or if either has been damaged after manufacture, since even with complete coverage of the working sensor parts, an anomalous current will be generated at the affected sensor part under such circumstances.

Measurement of substances in liquids

An improved disposable glucose test strip for use in a test meter of the type which receives a disposable test strip and a sample of blood from a patient and performs an electrochemical analysis using a non-conductive integrated reagent/blood separation layer () containing a filler, an enzyme effective to oxidize glucose, e.g., glucose oxidase, and a mediator effective to transfer electrons from the enzyme. The integrated layer formulation is printed over a conductive carbon element () to form a working electrode. The filler, for example a silica filler, is selected to have a balance of hydrophobicity such that on drying it forms a two-dimensional network on the surface of the conductive element. The response of this test strip is essentially temperature independent over relevant temperature ranges and is substantially insensitive to the hematocrit of the patient.

Growing community of inventors

Inverness, United Kingdom

Oliver W H Davies