METHOD AND FUEL CELL FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL MEASUREMENT OF ANALYTE CONCENTRATION IN VIVO

• US 20160077036A1
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care Inc. (Roche Holding AG)
• Inventors: Ocvirk, Gregor, Kolker, Karl-Heinz
• Granted Patent: US 9,709,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1486 using enzyme electrodes, e.g. with immobilised oxidase
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/001 Enzyme electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3271 Amperometric enzyme electrodes for analytes in body fluids, e.g. glucose in blood amperometry per se G01N27/49; aspects concerning the enzyme reagent C12Q1/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the electrochemical measurement of an analyte concentration in vivo, comprising a fuel cell with which the analyte to be measured is reacted catalytically with an enzyme contained in an enzyme layer and which supplies an electrical voltage, dependent on the analyte concentration to be measured, between an anode and a cathode, which voltage is measured. In the catalytic reaction of the analyte to be measured in the enzyme layer, a product is generated which, as fuel of the fuel cell, oxidizes on the anode and is reduced on the cathode. The invention further relates to a fuel cell for such a method.

Claims

1. A method for electrochemical measurement of an analyte concentration in vivo, comprising:

providing a fuel cell comprising an enzyme layer, an anode and a cathode;

providing to the fuel cell a sample fluid having the analyte;

using the fuel cell to catalytically convert the analyte to be measured with an enzyme contained in the enzyme layer, wherein the catalytic conversion generates a fuel for the fuel cell which is oxidized on the anode and is reduced on the cathode; and

generating an electrical voltage between the anode and the cathode, said voltage corresponding to the concentration of the analyte.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidation of the fuel is supported by a catalyst.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the catalyst comprises a metal oxide or a metallo-organic compound.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the anode and the cathode are connected to each other via an electrical resistor and the electrical voltage between the anode and the cathode is measured as a voltage drop at the resistor.

5. A fuel cell, comprising:

an anode and a cathode, the cathode having a surface made of a different material than that of the anode;

an enzyme layer containing an enzyme for the catalytic conversion of a substance occurring in the human body, the enzyme layer forming a diffusion path to the anode and to the cathode for a fuel product generated by catalytic conversion of the substance, the fuel cell adapted to oxidize the fuel product on the anode and reduce it on the cathode.

6. An electrochemical sensor for in vivo measurement of an analyte concentration comprising a fuel cell according to claim 5, wherein the substance for the catalytic conversion is the analyte to be measured.

7. The electrochemical sensor of claim 6, wherein the enzyme layer contacts the anode and the cathode.

8. The electrochemical sensor of claim 6, wherein the anode and the cathode are arranged on a common substrate and the enzyme layer covers both the anode and the cathode.

9. The electrochemical sensor of claim 6, wherein the cathode has a metallic surface.

10. The electrochemical sensor of claim 6, wherein the anode has a non-metallic surface.

11. The electrochemical sensor of claim 6, wherein the enzyme is an oxidase.

12. The electrochemical sensor of claim 6, wherein the fuel is hydrogen peroxide.

13. The electrochemical sensor of claim 6, wherein the enzyme layer is an insulator in its dry state.

14. The electrochemical sensor of claim 6, wherein an electrical resistor connects a first conductor running to the anode to a second conductor running to the cathode.

15. The electrochemical sensor of claim 14, wherein the resistor is a mixture which contains carbon particles and a binding agent.

16. The electrochemical sensor of claim 6, wherein the enzyme layer is covered by a covering layer.