Tecan and Sword Diagnostics have released immunoassay detection technology that is designed to improve immunoassay performance in life science applications.
The technology is based on Sword's proprietary detection reagents and Tecan's Infinite line of plate readers.
The reagents are initially being offered for sale in the US, for use with the Infinite M1000 and Infinite 200 Pro series readers.
The Sword technology extends sensitivity over current detection technologies, while being easily incorporated into assays that use a peroxidase-based detection system.
Further benefits include precision and accuracy at low concentrations, allowing assay developers to improve overall assay performance, use smaller sample volumes and decrease the overall time to results.
The Infinite M1000, Tecan's flagship modular multimode microplate reader, is equipped with the Quad4 Monochromators technology and features adjustable-bandwidth settings to ultra-fine-tune the amount of excitation and emission light and to optimise the sensitivity for fluorescence-based measurements.
The Infinite 200 Pro series provides the excellent wavelength accuracy, specificity and reproducibility of monochromator-based technology.
It offers the possibility to combine reagent dispensing with fluorescence, luminescence or absorbance in a low-cost reader platform for the complete range of life science applications.
Sword's technology utilises a substrate that generates a light-scattering, energy-exchanged (Raman) signal.
The principle of the Raman Elisa substrate is similar to that of colorimetric assays where a nearly colourless compound is oxidised by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in an Elisa to form a coloured reagent that is quantified by a plate reader.
Sword's substrate is a molecule with a very low Raman signal, but after oxidation by HRP and development with the Sword reagents, it has a strong and quantitative Raman signal that can be measured using the fluorescence channel of Tecan plate readers.
