Device and analyzing system for conducting agglutination assays

Inventors

Delafosse, Isabelle • Ummel, Fabrice • Yanez, Antonio

Assignees

Haemokinesis Ltd

Abstract

A device for conducting an agglutination assay comprising several reaction vessels, each reaction vessel comprising an upper chamber having an opening for accepting reactants and/or a sample; and a lower chamber comprising an end in communication with the upper chamber for receiving fluids from the upper chamber, a closed end opposite to the end, and a matrix for separating agglutinates from non-agglutinates; wherein the device further comprises a rotating support able to rotate around an axis and holding pivotally the reaction vessels in a way to allow the reaction vessels to pivot about an axis essentially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the support when the latter is rotated, such that the fluids remain in the upper chamber when the support is not rotated, and can flow from the upper chamber to the lower chamber and into the matrix when the support is rotated.

Core Innovation

A device for conducting an agglutination assay includes several reaction vessels, each having an upper chamber with an opening for accepting reactants and/or a sample, and a lower chamber with an end in communication with the upper chamber, a closed end opposite to the end, and a matrix for separating agglutinates from non-agglutinates. The device further includes a rotating support able to rotate around an axis and holding pivotally the reaction vessels so that the reaction vessels pivot about an axis essentially perpendicular to the rotation axis when the support is rotated. In this arrangement, fluids remain in the upper chamber when the support is not rotated and can flow from the upper chamber to the lower chamber and into the matrix when the support is rotated.

An analysis station for performing agglutination reaction and separation assays includes the device with several reaction vessels held pivotally on the rotating support. The analysis station additionally includes a drive shaft which fixedly holds the device at the rotating support, a heating unit concentric with the support of the device, and means to optically detect cluster agglutinate and/or band or button formation within the lower chamber. The optical detection is carried out within the lower chamber where separation of agglutinates from non-agglutinates is performed by the matrix.

In a method for conducting an agglutination assay, reagents and sample are incubated in the upper chambers while the support is not rotating. The reagents and sample are then centrifuged by rotating the support in order to force fluids from the upper chamber to the lower chamber to the separation matrix. After centrifuging, readings and interpretation of positive or negative agglutination reactions are performed based on cluster agglutinate and/or band or button formation in the lower chamber.

Claims Coverage

The partial content includes three independent claims: a device, an analysis station, and a method. Across these independent claims, the inventive features center on pivotable reaction vessels on a rotating support that transfers fluids into a separation matrix, followed by optical detection of agglutination forms and interpretation of positive or negative results, with the analysis station further integrating a drive shaft and a concentric heating unit.

Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage is the same functional combination: pivoting reaction vessels on a rotating support that transfers fluids into a lower chamber matrix for separation, coupled with optical detection of cluster/band/button agglutination forms and subsequent reading and interpretation of positive or negative results, with the independent analysis-station claim further adding a fixedly holding drive shaft and a concentric heating unit.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications