Small volume in vitro analyte sensor

• US 20040054267A1
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Therasense Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Krishnan, Rajesh, Heller, Ephraim, Heller, Adam, Colman, Fredric C., Feldman, Benjamin J., Mao, Fei, Funderburk, Jeffery V., Vivolo, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,563,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/316
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/001 Enzyme electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/006 for glucose
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/32 involving dehydrogenase
• 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: G01N 27/3272 Test elements therefor, i.e. disposable laminated substrates with electrodes, reagent and channels optical biosensors G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3274 Corrective measures, e.g. error detection, compensation for temperature or hematocrit, calibration coding of calibration information G01N33/48771
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49007 Indicating transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49147 Assembling terminal to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4921 with bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49794 Dividing on common outline

Abstract

A sensor utilizing a non-leachable or diffusible redox mediator is described. The sensor includes a sample chamber to hold a sample in electrolytic contact with a working electrode, and in at least some instances, the sensor also contains a non-leachable or a diffusible second electron transfer agent. The sensor and/or the methods used produce a sensor signal in response to the analyte that can be distinguished from a background signal caused by the mediator. The invention can be used to determine the concentration of a biomolecule, such as glucose or lactate, in a biological fluid, such as blood or serum, using techniques such as coulometry, amperometry, and potentiometry. An enzyme capable of catalyzing the electrooxidation or electroreduction of the biomolecule is typically provided as a second electron transfer agent.

Claims

1. A sensor strip for determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample, the sensor strip comprising:

(a) a first substrate having a proximal end and an opposite distal end, the distal end being configured and arranged for insertion into a sensor reader, the first substrate defining a first side edge and a second side edge of the sensor extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the first substrate;

(b) a second substrate positioned over the first substrate;

(c) at least one working electrode on the first substrate; and

(d) at least one counter electrode on one of the first substrate and the second substrate, with a portion of the counter electrode located 25-1000 micrometers from a portion of the at least one working electrode.

(e) a spacer between the first and second substrates defining;

(i) a first aperture along the proximal end of the sensor, and

(ii) a sample chamber extending from the first aperture to the second aperture, the sample chamber comprising a measurement zone having a volume of no more than 1 microliter, and the sample chamber defining a recess having al least a portion of the working electrode and a redox mediator situated in the recess.

2. The sensor strip according to claim 1 wherein the sample chamber recess is a circular recess.

3. The sensor strip according to claim 1 wherein the at least one working electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gold, carbon, platinum, ruthenium dioxide, and palladium.

4. The sensor strip according to claim 1 wherein the at least one counter electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gold, carbon, platinum, ruthenium dioxide, and palladium.

5. The sensor strip according to claim 1 wherein the spacer has a thickness of no more than 0.2 mm.

6. The sensor strip according to claim 1 wherein the at least one working electrode has a working area of no more than about 0.01 cm².

7. The sensor strip according to claim 1 further comprising at least one indicator electrode on at least one of the first and second substrates and positioned relative to the sample chamber to determine when the sample chamber contains sample.

8. The sensor strip according to claim 1 having a portion of the counter electrode located no more than 200 micrometers from a portion of the at least one working electrode.

9. The sensor strip according to claim 1 having a measurement zone having volume of no more than 0.5 microliter.

10. The sensor strip according to claim 9 having a measurement zone having a volume of no more than 0.2 microliter.

11. The sensor strip according to claim 1, wherein the redox mediator is a diffusible redox mediator.

12. The sensor strip according to claim 1, wherein the redox mediator comprises an osmium redox mediator.

13. The sensor strip according to claim 1, further comprising an analyte-responsive enzyme in the recess.

14. The sensor strip according to claim 1, further comprising a second working electrode on the first substrate.

15. The sensor strip according to claim 1, wherein the analyte is glucose and the sample is blood.

16. A sensor strip for determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample, the sensor strip comprising:

(a) a first substrate having a proximal end and an opposite distal end, the distal end being configured and arranged for insertion into a sensor reader, the first substrate defining a first side edge and a second side edge of the sensor extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the first substrate;

(b) a second substrate positioned over the first substrate;

(c) at least one working electrode comprising gold on the first substrate; and

(d) at least one counter electrode comprising gold on the first substrate, with a portion of the counter electrode located 25-1000 micrometers from a portion of the at least one working electrode.

(e) a spacer layer between the first and second substrates defining;

(i) a first aperture along the proximal end of the sensor, and

(ii) a sample chamber extending from the first aperture to the second aperture, the sample chamber comprising a measurement zone having a volume of no more than 1 microliter, and the sample chamber defining a recess having al least a portion of the working electrode and a redox mediator situated in the recess.

17. The sensor strip according to claim 16 wherein the sample chamber recess is a circular recess.

18. The sensor strip according to claim 16 wherein the spacer layer has a thickness of no more than 0.2 mm.

19. The sensor strip according to claim 16 having a portion of the counter electrode located no more than 200 micrometers from a portion of the at least one working electrode.

20. The sensor strip according to claim 16 having a measurement zone having volume of no more than 0.5 microliter.

21. The sensor strip according to claim 20 having a measurement zone having a volume of no more than 0.2 microliter.