Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
A one-step sandwich immunoassay for an antigenic substance (Ag) in a fluid, said immunoassay being of the type comprising: (a) contacting said fluid with (i) a soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab a ) to said Ag and (ii) an antibody (Ab b ) to said Ag bound to a solid carrier (SC) to form an insoluble complex (L-Ab a -Ag-Ab b -SC); (b) separating said L-Ab a -Ag-Ab b -SC from said fluid and unreacted L-Ab a ; and (c) measuring either the amount of L-Ab a associated with said L-Ab a -Ag-Ab b -SC or the amount of unreacted L-Ab a ; characterized in that in step (a) said fluid is also contacted with at least one additional entity selected from the group consisting of at least one different type of soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab c ) to said Ag and at least one different type of antibody (Ab d ) to said Ag bound to a solid carrier (SC 1 ); wherein: (i) each type of L-Ab c and Ab d -SC 1 has a lower average affinity constant (K) for said Ag than each respective K of L-Ab a and Ab b -SC; (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect; and (iii) said SC 1 is selected from the group consisting of said SC, at least one different solid carrier (SC 2 ), and mixtures thereof (SC and SC 2 ).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
A one-step sandwich immunoassay for an antigenic substance (Ag) in a fluid, said immunoassay being of the type comprising: (a) contacting said fluid with (i) a soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab a ) to said Ag and (ii) an antibody (Ab b ) to said Ag bound to a solid carrier (SC) to form an insoluble complex (L-Ab a -Ag-Ab b -SC); (b) separating said L-Ab a -Ag-Ab b -SC from said fluid and unreacted L-Ab a ; and (c) measuring either the amount of L-Ab a associated with said L-Ab a -Ag-Ab b -SC or the amount of unreacted L-Ab a ; characterized in that in step (a) said fluid is also contacted with at least one additional entity selected from the group consisting of at least one different type of soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab c ) to said Ag and at least one different type of antibody (Ab d ) to said Ag bound to a solid carrier (SC 1 ); wherein: (i) each type of L-Ab c and Ab d -SC 1 has a lower average affinity constant (K) for said Ag than each respective K of L-Ab a and Ab b -SC; (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect; and (iii) said SC 1 is selected from the group consisting of said SC, at least one different solid carrier (SC 2 ), and mixtures thereof (SC and SC 2 ).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The immunoassay of claim 1 wherein said additional entity is said L-Ab c .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The immunoassay of claim 1 wherein Ab a , Ab b , Ab c , and Ab d are each independently selected from the group consisting of monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The immunoassay of claim 1 wherein Ab a and Ab c are monoclonal antibodies.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The immunoassay of claim 4 wherein said additional entity is said L-Ab c .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
172 words
A two-step sandwich immunoassay for an antigenic substance (Ag) in a fluid, said immunoassay being of the type comprising: (a) contacting said fluid with an antibody (Ab b ) bound to a solid carrier (SC) to form an insoluble complex (SC-Ab b -Ag); (b) contacting said SC-Ab b -Ag with a soluble, labeled antibody (Ab a -L) in order to form a complex (SC-Ab b -Ag-Ab a -L); (c) separating said SC-Ab b -Ag-Ab a -L from unreacted L-Ab a ; and (d) measuring either the amount of L-Ab a associated with said SC-Ab b -Ag-Ab a -L or the amount of unreacted L-Ab a ; characterized in that in step (b) said SC-Ab b -Ag is also contacted with at least one different type of soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab c ); wherein: (i) each type of L-Ab c has a lower average affinity constant (K) for said Ag than the K of L-Ab a ; and (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
172 words
A two-step sandwich immunoassay for an antigenic substance (Ag) in a fluid, said immunoassay being of the type comprising: (a) contacting said fluid with an antibody (Ab b ) bound to a solid carrier (SC) to form an insoluble complex (SC-Ab b -Ag); (b) contacting said SC-Ab b -Ag with a soluble, labeled antibody (Ab a -L) in order to form a complex (SC-Ab b -Ag-Ab a -L); (c) separating said SC-Ab b -Ag-Ab a -L from unreacted L-Ab a ; and (d) measuring either the amount of L-Ab a associated with said SC-Ab b -Ag-Ab a -L or the amount of unreacted L-Ab a ; characterized in that in step (b) said SC-Ab b -Ag is also contacted with at least one different type of soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab c ); wherein: (i) each type of L-Ab c has a lower average affinity constant (K) for said Ag than the K of L-Ab a ; and (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The immunoassay of claim 6 wherein Ab a , Ab b , and Ab c are each independently selected from the group consisting of monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The immunoassay of claim 6 wherein Ab a and Ab c are monoclonal antibodies.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
A direct nephelometric immunoassay for an antigenic substance (Ag) in a fluid, said immunoassay being of the type comprising: (a) contacting said fluid with an antibody (Ab) to said Ag in order to form a complex Ab-Ag; and (b) measuring the amount of formed Ab-Ag; characterized in that in step (a) said fluid is also contacted with at least one additional type of antibody Ab e ; wherein: (i) each type of Ab e has an average affinity constant (K) for said Ag lower than the K of said Ab; and (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
106 words
A direct nephelometric immunoassay for an antigenic substance (Ag) in a fluid, said immunoassay being of the type comprising: (a) contacting said fluid with an antibody (Ab) to said Ag in order to form a complex Ab-Ag; and (b) measuring the amount of formed Ab-Ag; characterized in that in step (a) said fluid is also contacted with at least one additional type of antibody Ab e ; wherein: (i) each type of Ab e has an average affinity constant (K) for said Ag lower than the K of said Ab; and (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The direct nephelometric immunoassay of claim 9 wherein each additional type of Ab e is a monoclonal antibody.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The direct nephelometric immunoassay of claim 9 wherein each additional type of Ab e is a polyclonal antibody.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
177 words
A reagent of the type comprising: (a) a soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab a ) to an antigenic substance (Ag); and (b) an antibody (Ab b ) to said Ag bound to a solid carrier (SC); characterized in that said reagent further comprises at least one additional entity selected from the group consisting of at least one different type of soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab c ) to said Ag and at least one different type of antibody (Ab d ) to said Ag bound to a solid carrier (SC 1 ); wherein: (i) each type of L-Ab c and Ab d -SC 1 has a lower average affinity constant (K) for said Ag than each respective K of L-Ab a and Ab b -SC; (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect when said reagent is employed in an immunoassay; and (iii) said SC 1 is selected from the group consisting of said SC, at least one different solid carrier (SC 2 ), and mixtures thereof (SC and SC 2 ).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
177 words
A reagent of the type comprising: (a) a soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab a ) to an antigenic substance (Ag); and (b) an antibody (Ab b ) to said Ag bound to a solid carrier (SC); characterized in that said reagent further comprises at least one additional entity selected from the group consisting of at least one different type of soluble, labeled antibody (L-Ab c ) to said Ag and at least one different type of antibody (Ab d ) to said Ag bound to a solid carrier (SC 1 ); wherein: (i) each type of L-Ab c and Ab d -SC 1 has a lower average affinity constant (K) for said Ag than each respective K of L-Ab a and Ab b -SC; (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect when said reagent is employed in an immunoassay; and (iii) said SC 1 is selected from the group consisting of said SC, at least one different solid carrier (SC 2 ), and mixtures thereof (SC and SC 2 ).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The reagent of claim 12 wherein said Ab a , Ab b , Ab c , and Ab d are each independently selected from the group consisting of monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The reagent of claim 12 wherein said Ab a and Ab c are monoclonal antibodies.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The reagent of claim 14 wherein said additional entity is said L-Ab c .
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The reagent of claim 12 wherein said additional entity is said L-Ab c .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
80 words
A reagent of the type comprising an antibody (Ab) to an antigenic substance (Ag), characterized in that said reagent further comprises at least one different type of antibody (Ab e ), wherein: (i) each different type of said Ab e has a lower average affinity constant (K) for said Ag than the K of said Ab; and (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect when said reagent is employed in an immunoassay.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
80 words
A reagent of the type comprising an antibody (Ab) to an antigenic substance (Ag), characterized in that said reagent further comprises at least one different type of antibody (Ab e ), wherein: (i) each different type of said Ab e has a lower average affinity constant (K) for said Ag than the K of said Ab; and (ii) said additional entity is present in an amount sufficient to avoid a hook effect when said reagent is employed in an immunoassay.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The reagent of claim 17 wherein each of said Ab e is independently selected from the group consisting of monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The reagent of claim 18 wherein each of said Ab e is a monoclonal antibody.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The reagent of claim 18 wherein each of said Ab e is a polyclonal antibody.