Moving droplet diagnostic assay

• US 20040043421A1
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomerieux B.V. (Compagnie Merieux Alliance SAS)
• Original Assignee: Biomerieux B.V. (Compagnie Merieux Alliance SAS)
• Inventors: Beumer, Thomas Augustinus Maria, Damme, Hendrik Sibolt van, Verheijden, Petrus Franciscus Hendrikus M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,586,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54366 Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54393 Improving reaction conditions or stability, e.g. by coating or irradiation of surface, by reduction of non-specific binding, by promotion of specific binding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2525 Stabilizing or preserving

Abstract

The present invention concerns a method for the detection of an analyte in a droplet of fluid comprising the steps of providing a solid phase with a hydrophobic surface comprising at least one capture zone on which at least one binding agent with affinity for the analyte is immobilised, applying said droplet to the surface of said solid phase, applying a force that makes the droplet travel along the surface of said solid phase along a predetermined path thereby allowing the droplet to repeatedly contact said binding agent on the capture zone, applying conditions wherein said analyte is allowed to bind to said binding agent and detecting a complex of analyte and binding reagent at the position of the capture zone. The effect of a moving droplet is that the reactants in the droplet are well mixed which eliminates the risk of diffusion limitation. Such advantageous mixing is not obtained with conventional assays in which the surface is continuously exposed to the liquid. The use of a droplet eliminates the need for external mixing and also circumvents the need to dilute the sample in order to obtain sufficient volume to wet a large surface area.

Claims

1. Method for the detection of an analyte in a droplet of fluid comprising the steps of

providing a solid phase with a hydrophobic surface comprising at least one capture zone in which at least one binding agent with direct or indirect affinity to the analyte is immobilised

applying said droplet to the surface of said solid phase

applying a force that makes the droplet travel along the surface of said solid phase along a predetermined path thereby allowing the droplet to repeatedly contact said binding agent in said capture zone(s)

applying conditions wherein said analyte is allowed to bind to said binding agent

detecting a complex of analyte and binding reagent in the capture zone.

2. Method according to claim 1 wherein manual force is used to make the droplet travel along said predetermined path

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the analyte is selected from the group consisting of antigens, antibodies, haptens, nucleic acids, cells, membranes, bacteria or viruses.

4. Method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the binding agent is selected from the group consisting of antigens, antibodies, peptides, nucleic acids or polymers.

8. Kit suitable for performing the method of claim 1 comprising

A device according to any of claims 5-7

Additional reagents necessary to perform the method of claim 1

Instructions for use

5. Device for the detection of an analyte comprising a hydrophobic solid phase for receiving a droplet of a fluid suspected of containing said analyte to be detected, said solid phase comprising a predetermined path way on its surface for repeatedly guiding the droplet along said path way, said path way comprising at least one capture zone in which a binding agent having direct or indirect affinity to said analyte is immobilised.

6. Device according to claim 5 wherein said predetermined path is shaped as a gutter.

7. Device according to claim 5 wherein said predetermined path is provided with at least one obstacle to improve mixing of the droplet.