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US 9,435,793 B2Granted
Modular point-of-care devices, systems, and uses thereof
AssigneeTheranos, Inc.
InventorsTammy Burd, Ian Gibbons, Elizabeth A. Holmes, Gary Frenzel, Anthony Joseph Nugent
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Abstract
The present invention provides devices and systems for use at the point of care. The methods devices of the invention are directed toward automatic detection of analytes in a bodily fluid. The components of the device are modular to allow for flexibility and robustness of use with the disclosed methods for a variety of medical applications.
Claims17
A method of retrieving plasma from a blood sample comprising:
- a. mixing a blood sample in the presence of magnetizable particles in a sample collection unit,
- wherein the magnetizable particles comprise an antibody capture surface for binding to non-plasma portions of the blood sample;
- and
- b. applying a magnetic field above a plasma collection area to the mixed blood sample to effect suspension of the non-plasma portions of the blood sample on top of the plasma collection area,
- wherein said method is carried out in a system for automated detection of an analyte, said system comprising:
- i) a cartridge for automated detection of an analyte, the cartridge comprising:
- the sample collection unit, wherein the sample collection unit comprises the sample;
- an array of assay units configured to receive a portion of the sample from the sample collection unit and run a chemical reaction that yields a detectable signal indicative of the presence of the analyte in the sample;
- and
- an array of reagent units containing reagents for running the chemical reaction;
- wherein an individual assay unit of the array of assay units and an individual reagent unit of the array of reagent units are configured to be movable into fluid communication such that reagents for running the chemical reaction are brought to contact with the portion of the sample in the assay unit;
- and
- ii) a detection assembly for detecting the detectable signal indicative of the presence or absence of the analyte.
10 more elements
A method of retrieving plasma from a blood sample comprising:
- a. mixing a blood sample in the presence of magnetizable particles in a sample collection unit,
- wherein the magnetizable particles comprise an antibody capture surface for binding to non-plasma portions of the blood sample;
- and
- b. applying a magnetic field above a plasma collection area to the mixed blood sample to effect suspension of the non-plasma portions of the blood sample on top of the plasma collection area,
- wherein the sample collection unit is a sample tip comprising an opening, and the plasma collection area is adjacent to the opening of the sample tip, wherein the plasma collection area comprises plasma, and while the non-plasma portions of the blood sample are suspended on top of the plasma collection area, the plasma is allowed to exit the tip by gravity.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.