Assay devices
AssigneeUnipath Limited
InventorsDidier Lancesseur, Stewart John Wiles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Storage stability of an assay device, comprising an assay strip and sensitive reagents such as antibodies within a plastics casing, is maintained by moulding some or all of the casing from dessicant-containing plastics material, especially a blend of about 60-65% polystyrene and about 30% silica dust. Ideally the desiccant-containing plastics material is used in the moulding of a removable cap for the device. The cap can be made by sandwich injection moulding, using the dessicant-containing polystyrene as a core, surrounded by conventional polystyrene.
Claims5
An assay device packaged within a sealed moisture-impervious wrapping, said assay device consisting essentially of:
- a) a casing;
- b) an assay strip within said casing together with at least one reagent in the dry state which can participate in a specific binding reaction to reveal an assay result following application of a sample liquid to said device, said casing having means whereby the sample liquid can be applied directly or indirectly to said strip;
- and
- c) a removable cap or shroud to protect said sample liquid application means, said cap or shroud comprising a molded desiccant-containing plastics material incorporating desiccant in an amount sufficient to enhance storage stability of said reagent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.