Method and apparatus for performing a lateral flow assay
First Claim
1. An apparatus for evaluating an analyte in a sample comprising:
- a housing having a receptacle for retaining a test strip, the test strip comprising an analyte measurement zone including an analyte binding agent immobilized therein which is capable of binding to an analyte to be detected, a first control measurement zone including a first control agent immobilized therein which is capable of binding to a control binding agent, and a second control measurement zone including a second control agent immobilized therein which is capable of binding to the same control binding agent as the first control agent in the first control measurement zone, the first and second control measurement zones containing different amounts of first and second control agents immobilized therein;
a sensor system which measures the amount of first analyte bound in the analyte measurement zone, the amount of control binding agent bound in the first control measurement zone, and the amount of control binding agent bound in the second control measurement zone; and
a processor, memory resources and software that evaluates an amount of analyte in the sample by determining a mathematical relationship between the measured amounts of control binding agent in the first and second control measurement zones and evaluating the amount of analyte in the sample based on the mathematical relationship and the measured amount of analyte immobilized in the analyte measurement zone.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for performing a lateral flow assay. The method includes depositing a sample on a test strip at an application region, detecting a first detection signal arising from the test strip in the first detection zone, and generating a baseline for the first measurement zone by interpolating between values of the detection signal outside of the first measurement zone and inside of the first detection zone. The method may include locating a beginning boundary and an ending boundary for the first measurement zone on the test strip. Additional detection zones having measurement zones may also be incorporated with the embodiment.
260 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for evaluating an analyte in a sample comprising:
-
a housing having a receptacle for retaining a test strip, the test strip comprising an analyte measurement zone including an analyte binding agent immobilized therein which is capable of binding to an analyte to be detected, a first control measurement zone including a first control agent immobilized therein which is capable of binding to a control binding agent, and a second control measurement zone including a second control agent immobilized therein which is capable of binding to the same control binding agent as the first control agent in the first control measurement zone, the first and second control measurement zones containing different amounts of first and second control agents immobilized therein; a sensor system which measures the amount of first analyte bound in the analyte measurement zone, the amount of control binding agent bound in the first control measurement zone, and the amount of control binding agent bound in the second control measurement zone; and a processor, memory resources and software that evaluates an amount of analyte in the sample by determining a mathematical relationship between the measured amounts of control binding agent in the first and second control measurement zones and evaluating the amount of analyte in the sample based on the mathematical relationship and the measured amount of analyte immobilized in the analyte measurement zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification