Immunomagnetic assay system for clinical diagnosis and other purposes
US5972721A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 26, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 14, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S436/824
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An apparatus and method for immunomagnetic separation and concentration of target biological materials is disclosed. The immunomagnetic separation is performed by a magnetic flow cell, or filter block, as part of an automated mostly continuous immunomagnetic assay system. The magnetic flow cell has two bundles of ferromagnetic rods or pins positioned inside an internal chamber so that a fluid sample flowing through the flow cell passes through the pins. A pair of cobalt magnets flank the flow cell so that the pins concentrate and sufficiently increase the magnetic fields so that even nanometer size magnetic beads can be captured. The overall system combines a reaction subsystem for reacting coated magnetic beads with a sample, a collection subsystem for capturing magnetic beads, a rinsing subsystem for removing debris and a filtering subsystem for removing captured magnetic beads from the collection subsystem. The new magnetic flow filter is the key component for the collection and filtering subsystems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.