Symmetrically Branched Polymer Conjugates and Microarray Assays

• US 20080114077A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ANP Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ANP Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Pan, Jing, Yin, Ray, Qin, Dujie
• Application Number:
  US11/860,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20080114077A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 514/772.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/544 the carrier being organic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/545 Synthetic resin

Abstract

Modified symmetrically branched polymers are combined with bioactive agents for a variety of purposes including drug delivery and conjugation to one member of a binding pair for use in an assay.

Claims

1. A modified symmetrically branched polymer conjugate which comprises at least one modified symmetrically branched polymer associated with at least one bioactive agent.

2. The conjugate of claim 1, wherein said bioactive agent is a diagnostic agent, therapeutic agent, or a combination of diagnostic and therapeutic agent.

3. The conjugate of claim 1, wherein said modified symmetrically branched polymer connects with another bioactive agent through either covalent or non-covalent linkages.

4. The conjugate of claim 1, wherein said modified symmetrically branched polymer is either a terminal or a chain branched polymer or a combination thereof.

5. The conjugate of claim 1, wherein said modified symmetrically branched polymer is derived from a dendrimer, a dendrigraft, a star shaped, or a comb-shaped polymer, or a combination thereof.

6. The conjugate of claim 5, wherein said modified symmetrically branched polymer is derived from a polyethyleneimine or a polypropyleneimine dendrimer.

7. The conjugate of claim 5, wherein said modified symmetrically branched polymer is derived from a polyethyleneimine or a polypropyleneimine dendrigrafts.

8. The conjugate of claim 1, wherein said bioactive agent is a metal.

9. The conjugate of claim 8, wherein said metal is a transition metal, an alkali metal, an alkaline-earth metal, a Lanthanide series element or an Actinide series element.

10. An assay kit comprising the conjugate of claim 1 and a reporter molecule.

11. The kit of claim 10, wherein said bioactive agent is a member of a binding pair.

12. The kit of claim 11, wherein said binding pair comprises an antibody, an antigen binding portion thereof, an antigen or an epitope-containing portion thereof.

13. The kit of claim 10, wherein said reporter molecule comprises a colored, luminescent or fluorescent particulate or moiety, an enzyme, or a combination thereof.

14. The kit of claim 13, wherein said fluorescent or luminescent particulate or moiety comprises quantum dots, nanocrystals, up-converting phosphorescent particles or fluorophore containing latex beads.

15. The kit of claim 13, wherein said colored particulate comprises colloidal metals, comprising gold or silver, colored latex beads or colored dyes.

16. The kit of claim 10, wherein said kit comprises a solid phase containing said conjugate and said reporter molecule.

17. The kit of claim 16, wherein said solid phase comprises a flat surface or a membrane.

18. The kit of claim 17, wherein said flat surface comprises a silicon wafer, quartz, glass, a metal, or a plastic.

19. The kit of claim 17, wherein said membrane comprises a paper, a plastic membrane, a nylon membrane or nitrocellulose.

20. The kit of claim 16, wherein said solid phase and said conjugate comprise a microarray or a bead array.

21. The kit of claim 10, wherein said reporter molecule yields a product which is detectable by color or by light.

22. The kit of claim 10, wherein said bioactive agent binds to a biological polymer, a hormone, a neurotransmitter, a pathogen, a toxin, or a drug.

23. The kit of claim 22, wherein said pathogen is a bacterium, a spore, a parasite or a virus.

24. The kit of clam 22, wherein said biological polymer is a polypeptide, a polysaccharide or a polynucleotide.

25. The kit of claim 24, wherein said polypeptide is an enzyme.

26. The kit of claim 24, wherein said polypeptide is an antibody, an antigen binding portion thereof, an antigen or an epitope-containing portion thereof.

27. The kit of claim 16, wherein said solid phase comprises a dipstick, a lateral flow immunoassay or a microarray.

28. A method for detecting a target molecule, comprising, obtaining a sample suspected of containing said target molecule, exposing said sample to the conjugate of claim 1, wherein said bioactive agent specifically binds to said target molecule, and determining whether complexes of said conjugate and said target molecule are formed.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said determining step comprises a reporter molecule.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein presence of said reporter molecule is determined visually.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein presence of said reporter molecule is detected with a mechanical means.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said mechanical means comprises a detecting means.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said mechanical means comprises a sensing means that digitizes data and a data storage means.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said mechanical means comprises a display means.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein said mechanical means is a hand held device.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising a data communication means.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein said mechanical means is portable.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein said mechanical means comprises a detection signal quantifying means.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said communication means is a wireless means.

40. The conjugate of claim 1, wherein said bioactive agent is a drug.

41. The conjugate of claim 40, wherein said drug is an anesthetic, antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, analgesic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antidote, antihistamine, chemotherapeutic agent, antidepressant, depressant, stimulant, tranquilizer, urinary anti-infective, vasoconstrictor, vitamin, cardioactive drug, immunosuppressive, or a nutritional supplement.

42. The conjugate of claim 40, wherein said drug is a biological polymer.

43. The conjugate of claim 40, wherein said drug is a hormone.

44. The conjugate of claim 40, wherein said drug is encapsulated by said polymer.

45. The conjugate of claim 42, wherein said biological polymer is a polypeptide or a polynucleotide.

46. The conjugate of claim 45, wherein said polynucleotide is a DNA or an RNA.

47. The conjugate of claim 45, wherein said polypeptide is ligand or antigen binding.

48. The conjugate of claim 47, wherein said antigen binding polypeptide is an immunoglobulin. or antigen binding portion thereof.

49. The conjugate of claim 48, wherein said RNA is an RNAi.