Access Medical Systems, Ltd.

Syntex (u.s.a.) Inc.

Pharmasonics, Inc.

Syva Company

Fortebio, Inc.

Pall Corporation

Access Medical System Co., Ltd.

Robert F Zuk

Hong Tan

Yushan Tan

Erhua Cao

Jun Chen

Ming Xia

Genqian Li

Axel F Brisken

John R McKenzie

Paul Douglas Corl

David J Litman

Min Xia

Mark W Cowan

Krista Leah Witte

Pu Li

Edwin F Ullman

Menahem F Nassi

Heng Wu

Scott Lockard

S Nicholas Stiso

Sae Choo

Haode Chen

Gerald Rowley

Qing Xia

Sydney Leeder

Ian Gibbons

Indrani Chakraborty

Gerald L Rowley

Michael Recknor

Edward T Maggio

Dennis R Gould

Greg L Carricato

Meno Nassi

Jackie Shek Kei Chan

Jeff Isner

Weilei Ma

The present invention is directed to methods for increasing sensitivities of immunoassays. The invention utilizes an acid elution condition that preferentially elute specifically bound immune complexes over non-specifically bound complexes from a solid phase, and designs immunoassay protocols that improve the ratio of specific binding to non-specific binding and thereby improving assay sensitivity. The protocol determines the signal of the labeled immunocomplexes eluted from a solid phase.

Immunoassay with enhanced sensitivity

The present invention is directed to biochemical assay methods, which re-use a hapten-immobilized test probe and reagents for quantitating an analyte or measuring kinetic binding in different samples, anywhere from about 3 to 20 times, while maintaining acceptable assay performance. The methods use a conjugate solution either comprising (i) an anti-hapten antibody and a capture antibody against an analyte, or (ii) an anti-hapten antibody and streptavidin, in each cycle and regenerate the hapten-coated test probe by dipping the test probe in an acidic solution having pH about 1-4, optionally further dipping in a DMSO solution, after the completion of each cycle of reaction. The robustness of the hapten-immobilized solid phase allows utilization of denaturation reagents for efficient elution of the immune complexes after each cycle without compromising the binding activity of the hapten on the solid phase.

Method for re-using test probe and reagents in biochemical assay based on interferometry

This invention relates to an apparatus for conducting immunoassay test. The apparatus includes a groove unit having a groove along a vertical direction configured to hold a rod-shaped portion of a probe along the vertical direction, and a push pin configured to move along a horizontal direction, the push pin being capable of residing at a first position and a second position. A tip of the push pin is capable of pressing the rod-shaped portion of the probe against the groove when the push pin resides at the first position. The distance between the tip of the push pin and the groove is larger than a diameter of the rod-shaped portion of the probe when the push pin resides at the second position.

Cartridges for immunoassay tests and methods of using the same

Probes for biochemical tests

The present invention is directed to a luminescent immunoassay method for detecting an analyte in a liquid sample with high sensitivity. The invention provides a unique combination of (i) using a probe having a small sensing surface area for binding analyte molecules, (ii) using a high molecular weight branched polymer conjugated with multiple binding molecules and multiple luminescent labels, and (iii) cycling the probe having immunocomplex formed back to the reagent vessel and amplification vessel 1-10 times and repeating the reaction with the reagent and the amplification polymer, to improve the sensitivity of detection level. For each cycling, the luminescent signal is increased significantly over the noise. The present invention is also directed to an electrochemiluminescent detection system for measuring a chemiluminescent signal on a probe tip.

Electrochemiluminescent detection system

The present invention relates to a method for quantitating an analyte having a wide range concentration in a single assay without having to dilute the sample and repeating the assay. The key feature of the invention is having two cycles of events including sample binding to probe, binding reactions, and detection. After the first cycle of binding and detecting, the probe is dipped into the same sample vessel to bind additional analyte in the sample vessel at a condition that is more favorable to binding than the condition in the first cycle.

Wide range luminescent immunoassays

This invention relates to a detection system for measuring a fluorescent signal in a fluorescent assay. The system comprises a probe having a small sensing surface bound with a fluorescent label, and a light source and a detector both mounted at the proximal side of the sensing surface of the substrate. The invention also relates to a method for detecting an analyte in a liquid sample using a probe tip having a small surface area (&#x2264;5 mm) and a high molecular weight polymer (&#x2265;1 MD) having multiple binding molecules and multiple fluorescent labels. The binding reaction is accelerated by flowing the reaction solutions laterally and moving the probe tip up and down in the reaction vessels. The invention furthers relates to a fluorescent labeling composition comprising a cross-linked FICOLL&#xae; molecule having a plurality of binding molecules and a plurality of fluorescent labels.

Detection system for high sensitivity fluorescent assays

Systems for immunoassay tests

The present invention is directed to an assembly for use in detecting an analyte in a sample based on thin-film spectral interference. The assembly comprises a waveguide, a monolithic substrate optically coupled to the waveguide, and a thin-film layer directly bonded to the sensing side of the monolithic substrate. The refractive index of the monolithic substrate is higher than the refractive index of the transparent material of the thin-film layer. A spectral interference between the light reflected into the waveguide from a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface varies as analyte molecules in a sample bind to the analyte binding molecules coated on the thin-film layer.

Optical sensor of bio-molecules using thin-film interferometer

Luminescent immunoassays for quantitating analytes having a wide concentration range

This invention relates to a detection system for measuring a fluorescent signal in a fluorescent assay. The system comprises a probe having a small sensing surface bound with a fluorescent label, and a light source and a detector both mounted at the proximal side of the sensing surface of the substrate. The invention also relates to a method for detecting an analyte in a liquid sample using a probe tip having a small surface area (&#x2266;5 mm) and a high molecular weight polymer (&#x2267;1 MD) having multiple binding molecules and multiple fluorescent labels. The binding reaction is accelerated by flowing the reaction solutions laterally and moving the probe tip up and down in the reaction vessels. The invention furthers relates to a fluorescent labeling composition comprising a cross-linked FICOLL&#xae; molecule having a plurality of binding molecules and a plurality of fluorescent labels.

Crosslinked polysaccharide

Growing community of inventors

Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Robert F Zuk