Immunoassay for the detection of procalcitonin

An in vitro method for the detection of SEQ ID NO:1 (Procalcitonin), or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1 having a length of at least 20 amino acid residues, in a biological sample derived from a bodily fluid obtained from a subject, said fragment of SEQ ID NO:1 containing an epitope in the sequence spanning amino acid residues 25 to 37 of SEQ ID NO:1 and:

• an epitope in the sequence spanning amino acid residues 96 to 116 of SEQ ID NO:1, and/or an epitope in the sequence spanning amino acid residues 60 to 91 of SEQ ID NO:1;
• said method comprising:
• a. contacting said sample with at least two antibodies or antigen binding fragments thereof directed against different epitopes within SEQ ID NO:1 (Procalcitonin), and
• b. qualitatively or quantitatively detecting binding of said at least two antibodies to SEQ ID NO:1 (Procalcitonin), or said fragment thereof, wherein binding indicates the presence or concentration of Procalcitonin or said fragment in said sample,
• wherein one of said at least two antibodies or antigen binding fragment thereof is directed against an epitope in the sequence spanning amino acid residues 25 to 37 of SEQ ID NO:1, wherein said one antibody is produced by a hybridoma cell line that is deposited at the DSMZ under accession number DSM ACC2993, and
• wherein another of said at least two antibodies or antigen binding fragment thereof is directed against an epitope in the sequence spanning amino acid residues 96 to 116 of SEQ ID NO:1, or is directed against an epitope in the sequence spanning amino acid residues 60 to 91 of SEQ ID NO:1, and wherein said another of said at least two antibodies is a monoclonal antibody.