Exact Sciences Corporation

L.o.m. Laboratories Inc.

Becton Dickinson and Company Limited

University System of Maryland

Pocared Diagnostics Ltd.

Medipurpose Pte Ltd

Corporos Inc.

Scott E Castanon

Graham P Lidgard

Keith Kopitzke

Michael J Domanico

James P Light, Ii

Keith D Fourrier

Warren Marc Terry

Ralph E Woloschuk

Myron M Levine

Michael D Fiechtner

Francis R Go

Kenneth J Michlitsch

Gal Ingber

Jane P Bearinger

John J Carrino

Brian Patrick Dwyer

Hemanth D Shenoi

Richard R Anderson

Martin Joseph Bouliane

Dylann Ceriani

Jorge Haro

Joseph E Schiestle

Allan Andersen

Joseph James Baker

Bryan G Towns

Lionel Stuart Matthews

Mike Domanico

Martin J Bouliane

Gregory K Bond

Provided herein is technology relating to collecting and preparing samples. For example, the technology relates particularly, but not exclusively, to devices, systems, and kits that allow a subject to collect and prepare a sample for analysis.

Sample collection device

Seroprotection analysis systems, kits, and techniques are described for testing oral fluid for the presence of protective levels of antibodies of interest. In one aspect, the presence of protective levels of target antibodies indicates a test subject has achieved a target seroprotection level, such as but not limited to a target seroprotection level following vaccination. A collection kit can include a swab that enables collection of oral fluid containing antibodies from both dentulous and edentulous individuals, a container that can be pre-filled with an extraction solution, and a nozzle that can be coupled to the container to form a fluid-tight device. A user can use the nozzle to seal the swab in the container and to compress the swab within the container. After or during compression, the solution can be dispensed from the fluid-tight device, such as by inverting the fluid-tight device to flush the swab with the buffer solution and to transfer the fluid to a detection device through a channel in the nozzle. The detection system can be an assay reader device.

Devices and techniques for oral fluid collection and seroprotection testing

A pneumatically activated retractable-needle syringe comprising a syringe barrel, a plunger, a needle, a needle hub, a locking tip, a propellant gas release cell and a rupture mechanism is provided. The plunger has a retraction lumen defined therein for receiving the needle when the retractable-needle syringe is actuated.

Retractable needle syringe

A modular retractable needle assembly having a unitary propellant release structure is provided. The modular retractable needle assembly can be coupled to a suitable syringe. A modular filler needle can be provided that is engageable to the syringe. Kits comprising the modular retractable needle assembly, one or more syringes, and a modular filler needle are provided.

Retractable needle syringe with unitary propellant release module

Blood collection devices having a retractable needle are provided. Activation of the retraction mechanism causes release of propellant from a propellant chamber, which drives a retraction assembly carrying the needle into a body of the device.

Retractable blood collection devices and methods

A gas release cell for use with pneumatically actuated sharps-containing medical devices. The gas release cell has a rigid outer shell and a sealing membrane sealingly engaged with the rigid outer shell. A compressed propellant is retained within the gas release cell by the sealing membrane, and the sealing membrane is rupturable to actuate the medical device by releasing compressed propellant from the gas release cell.

Gas release cell

A filter arrangement with a top element and a bottom element and a filter element therebetween captures oversized particles on the upper surface of the filter element and tangentially rinses these particles using an elution fluid to provide a concentration of particles in a relatively low volume of fluid for further analysis. A configuration using a slider valve may also be utilized. Additionally, an arrangement of supply and receiving containers may be used to minimize the number of containers required. A mass flow meter may be incorporated to measure the flow of elution fluid. Finally, a wash stage of the filtering process may be used to introduce stain onto the particles for further analysis, such as that associated with Gram staining and these stained particles may be further analyzed.

Filter arrangement with slider valve and method for using the same

In an embodiment, there is a safety scalpel having a handle, and a replaceable blade cartridge assembly that is releasably attached to the handle. The handle comprises a first end and a second end. The blade cartridge assembly comprises a housing that can be slideably mounted onto the second end of the handle, a blade holder that can be disposed within the housing, and a blade that can be attached to the blade holder. The safety scalpel has a resilient lock member that prevents the cartridge assembly from being detached from the handle during use.

Safety scalpel with replaceable blade cartridge

Methods and apparatus are provided for point-of-care nucleic acid amplification and detection. One embodiment of the invention comprises a fully integrated, sample-to-answer molecular diagnostic instrument that optionally may be used in a multiplexed fashion to detect multiple target nucleic acid sequences of interest and that optionally may be configured for disposal after one-time use. The instrument preferable utilizes an isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique, such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), to reduce the instrumentation requirements associated with nucleic acid amplification. Detection of target amplification may be achieved, for example, via detection of a color shift or fluorescence in a dye added to the amplification reaction. Such detection may be performed visually by an operator or may be achieved utilizing an imaging technique, e.g., spectrophotometric imaging.

Methods and apparatus for point-of-care nucleic acid amplification and detection

Provided herein is technology relating to collecting samples of soft matter compositions, and particularly, but not exclusively, to devices and methods for collecting stool samples.

Growing community of inventors

Carlsbad, CA, United States of America

Scott E Castanon