Allows the rapid and simultaneous testing of multiple analytes in a single sample using a combination of three technologies
The new Fidis immunoassay system allows the rapid and simultaneous testing of multiple analytes in a single sample using a combination of three technologies; fluorescent dyed microspheres coated with biomolecules; flow cytometric analysis of the reactions that occur on the spheres surface, and high speed data processing.
The multiplex technology uses a suspension of microscopic polystyrene beads called microspheres that are internally labelled with two fluorescent dyes; red and infra-red. Combinations of these fluorophores in precise ratios give 100 individually coloured beads, each of which can be coated with a different antigen or antibody.
Panels of tests combining up to 100 different analytes can be constructed using this technology. The Fidis Autoimmune antibody test panels are the first in a series of Fidis assays to be created by BMD.
Within each test panel each type of individually coloured microspheres is coated with a unique antigen.
The spheres are allowed to react with antibodies in the test sample, washed and then all captured antibodies are tagged with a third fluorescent dye.
A unique 96-well Fidis reaction and filtration plate is used for the test which allows the microspheres to be washed quickly by aspiration of the wash solution through micropores in the base of each well. The Fidis bench-top flow cytometer with a digital signal processing capacity of 5000 microspheres per second is used to analyse the microspheres.
The suspended microspheres are drawn up automatically into the machine from each well of the reaction tray.
The spheres are aligned using microfluidics in single file and passed through lasers that illuminate the colours inside and on the surface of each microsphere.
A red laser recognises the internal fluorophores and identifies the analyte then a green laser activates the third fluorescent tag on the surface of the sphere to quantify the assay by comparison with a calibrator.
The Fidis software automatically calculates and interprets the results, sorting them by run and/or by patient.
