Analyte-releasing beads and use thereof in quantitative elispot or fluorispot assay

A method of determining release rate of a drug from a drug delivery vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a container comprising a surface capable of binding a drug;
• providing a standard curve for rate of drug release into a container by one or more drug-releasing reagents that comprise a bead and the drug releasably bound to the bead, the container comprising a surface capable of binding the drug;
• introducing into the provided container a drug delivery vehicle that releases the drug over a period of time;
• detecting the presence of drug bound to the surface of the container into which the drug delivery vehicle was introduced;
• and
• comparing the detected amount of drug to the standard curve to qualify the rate of drug release by the drug delivery vehicle.

A method of quantifying cellular secretion of an analyte comprising:

• providing a standard curve for release of an analyte into a first container by one or more analyte-releasing reagents that comprise a bead and the analyte releasably bound to the bead, the first container comprising a surface capable of binding the analyte;
• introducing one or more cells that secrete the analyte into a second container comprising a surface capable of binding the analyte;
• detecting the presence of analyte bound to the surface of the second container;
• and
• comparing the detected analyte to the standard curve to quantify the amount of analyte released by the one or more cells.

A method of determining release rate of a drug from a drug delivery vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a standard curve for release of a drug into a first container by one or more drug-releasing reagents that comprise a bead and the drug releasably bound to the bead, the first container comprising a surface capable of binding the drug;
• introducing a drug delivery vehicle that releases the drug over a period of time into a second container comprising a surface capable of binding the drug;
• detecting the presence of drug bound to the surface of the second container;
• and
• comparing the detected amount of drug to the standard curve to qualify the rate of drug release by the drug delivery vehicle.