ASSAY DEVICE COMPRISING SERIAL REACTION ZONES

• US 20110003398A1
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crimson International Assets LLC (The Carlyle Group LP (Corporate Private Equity))
• Original Assignee: Åmic AB
• Inventors: Öhman, Per Ove, Mendel-Hartvig, Ib, Rundström, Gerd
• Granted Patent: US 8,409,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/172
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/126 Paper
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0418 electro-osmotic flow [EOF]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0475 specific mechanical means and fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00

Abstract

An analysis device having at least one sample addition zone, at least one sink, and at least one flow path connecting the at least one sample addition zone and the at least one sink. The at least one flow path includes projections substantially vertical to the surface of the substrate and having a height (H), diameter (D) and reciprocal spacing (t1, t2) such that lateral capillary flow of a liquid sample is achieved. The device includes at least two reaction zones in series, wherein each reaction zone is adapted to facilitating measurement of a response originating from one and the same analyte, and wherein the reaction zones are positioned to allow calculation of the concentration of at least one analyte. Advantages include that a more accurate value can be calculated, variations are reduced, and an estimation of the uncertainty of the response can be calculated.

Claims

1. An analysis device comprising a substrate having at least one sample addition zone, at least one sink, and at least one flow path connecting the at least one sample addition zone and the at least one sink, wherein the at least one flow path comprises projections substantially vertical to the surface of said substrate and having a height (H), diameter (D) and reciprocal spacing (t1, t2) such that lateral capillary flow of a liquid sample is achieved, said analysis device comprising at least two reaction zones in series, wherein each reaction zone is adapted to facilitating measurement of a response originating from one and the same analyte, and wherein the reaction zones are positioned to allow calculation of the concentration of at least one analyte.

2. The analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two reaction zones are positioned in one flow path.

3. The analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the reaction zone closest to the at least one sample addition zone has an area which is different from the area of any one of the other reaction zones.

4. The analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the reaction zone closest to the at least one sample addition zone has an area which is smaller than the area of any one of the other reaction zones.

5. The analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two reaction zones have different geometries.

6. The analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the reaction zone closest to the at least one sample addition zone has a width dimension which is smaller than the width dimension of any one of the other reaction zones.

7. The analysis device according to claim 1, wherein each reaction zone comprises at least one reagent and wherein the concentrations of reagent in the at least two reaction zones are different.

8. The analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the reaction zone closest to the at least one sample addition zone has a concentration of reagent which is lower than the concentration of reagent in any one of the other reaction zones.

9. The analysis device according to claim 1, comprising at least two flow paths connecting the at least one sample addition zone and the at least one sink, and wherein each flow path comprises at least two reaction zones in series.

10. The analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one flow path is at least partially open.

11. A system comprising an analysis device according to claim 1, and a reader adapted to read a response from each of the at least two reaction zones in series, wherein the reader comprises a microprocessor adapted to calculate a concentration based on the measured responses.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the reader comprises a fluorescence reader.

13. A method of performing an analysis comprising the steps:

a) providing an analysis device comprising a substrate having at least one sample addition zone, at least one sink, and at least one flow path connecting the at least one sample addition zone and the at least one sink, wherein the at least one flow path comprises projections substantially vertical to the surface of said substrate and having a height (H), diameter (D) and reciprocal spacing (t1, t2) such that lateral capillary flow of a liquid sample is achieved, wherein the device comprises at least two reaction zones in series, each reaction zone being adapted to facilitate measurement of a response originating from one and the same analyte,

b) measuring a response in each reaction zone, wherein the responses originate from one and the same analyte and

c) calculating the concentration of at least one analyte based on the measured at least two responses.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the responses measured in the at least two reaction zones are different.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein an estimate of the uncertainty is calculated.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein a calculated response value and an estimate of the associated uncertainty are calculated based on the measured responses.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein a sum and an estimate of the associated uncertainty are calculated based on the measured responses.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein a concentration of at least one analyte and an estimate of the associated uncertainty of the concentration are calculated based on the measured responses.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one flow path of said analysis device is at least partially open.