Reducing optical interference in a fluidic device
AssigneeTheranos, Inc.
InventorsIan Gibbons, Michael O'Connell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention is in the field of medical devices. Specifically, the present invention provides portable medical devices that allow real-time detection of analytes from a biological fluid. The methods and devices are particularly useful for providing point-of-care testing for a variety of medical applications. In particular, the medical device reduces interference with an optical signal which is indicative of the presence of an analyte in a bodily sample.
Claims18
A fluidic device having a housing and being configured to run an immunoassay for detecting an analyte in a sample of bodily fluid within said housing comprising:
- (a) a sample collection unit adapted to provide a sample of bodily fluid into said fluidic device;
- (b) an assay assembly in fluidic communication with said sample collection unit, said assay assembly comprising:
- (i) a reagent chamber comprising at least one reagent used in said assay;
- and
- (ii) at least one reaction site comprising a reactant that binds said analyte, wherein said assay assembly is adapted to yield a luminescent signal indicative of the presence of the analyte in the sample of bodily fluid, and wherein the at least one reagent reacts with a second reagent in said assay assembly to produce an optical signal;
- and
- (c) a quencher assembly, in fluidic communication with but separated by a channel from said assay assembly, comprising a quenching agent that inhibits an enzymatic reaction between the at least one reagent and the second reagent in said quencher assembly, thereby reducing interference with said luminescent signal.
A fluidic device for detecting an analyte in a sample, comprising:
- a sample collection unit;
- an assay assembly comprising at least one reaction site, said reaction site comprising a surface and immobilized thereon a reactant that forms a complex comprising the analyte;
- a first reagent chamber comprising an enzyme conjugate;
- a second reagent chamber comprising an enzyme substrate, wherein the enzyme substrate reacts with the enzyme conjugate to produce a chemiluminescent signal;
- and
- fluidic channels that connect the reagent chambers with the at least one reaction site;
- a quencher assembly at a separate location from the assay assembly, the quencher assembly comprising an absorbent material and a quenching agent, wherein the quenching agent inhibits the chemiluminescent reaction between the enzyme conjugate and the enzyme substrate;
- and
- a plurality of fluidic channels that connect the sample collection unit and the quencher assembly with the assay assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.