Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system in a specific environment – Biological or biochemical
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-18
2002-09-10
Fredman, Jeffrey (Department: 1641)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system in a specific environment
Biological or biochemical
C702S020000, C435S006120, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06449562
ABSTRACT:
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/540,814, filed Oct. 11, 1995, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,330, filed Oct. 11, 1995, and PCT application Ser. No. PCT/US/96/16198, filed Oct. 10, 1996, all of which are incorporated herein by reference, including all reference cited therein.
Microfiche appendix A contains a listing of selected Visual Basic and C programming source code in accordance with the inventive multiplexed assay method. Microfiche appendix A, comprising 1 sheet having a total of 58 frames, contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The invention relates generally to laboratory diagnostic and genetic analysis and, more particularly, to a flow cytometric method for the simultaneous and multiplexed diagnostic and genetic analysis of clinical specimens.
Analysis of clinical specimens is important in science and medicine. A wide variety of assays to determine qualitative and/or quantitative characteristics of a specimen are known in the art. Detection of multiple analytes, or separately identifiable characteristics of one or more analytes, through single-step assay processes are presently not possible or, to the extent possible, have provided only very limited capability and have not yielded satisfactory results. Some of the reasons for these disappointing results include the extended times typically required to enable the detection and classification of multiple analytes, the inherent limitations of known reagents, the low sensitivities achievable in prior art assays which often lead to significant analytical errors and the unwieldy collection, classification, and analysis of prior art algorithms vis a vis the large amounts of data obtained and the subsequent computational requirements to analyze that data.
Clearly, it would be an improvement in the art to have adequate apparatus and methods for reliably performing real-time multiple determinations, substantially simultaneously, through a single or limited step assay process. A capability to perform simultaneous, multiple determinations in a single assay process is known as “multiplexing” and a process to implement such a capability is a “multiplexed assay.”
Flow Cytometry
One well known prior art technique used in assay procedures for which a multiplexed assay capability would be particularly advantageous is flow cytometry. Flow cytometry is an optical technique that analyzes particular particles in a fluid mixture based on the particles' optical characteristics using an instrument known as a flow cytometer. Background information on flow cytometry may be found in Shapiro, “Practical Flow Cytometry,” Third Ed. (Alan R. Liss, Inc. 1995); and Melamed et al., “Flow Cytometry and Sorting,” Second Ed. (Wiley-Liss 1990), which are incorporated herein by reference. a Flow cytometers hydrodynamically focus a fluid suspension of particles into a thin stream so that the particles flow down the stream in substantially single file and pass through an examination zone. A focused light beam, such as a laser beam illuminates the particles as they flow through the examination zone. Optical detectors within the flow cytometer measure certain characteristics of the light as it interacts with the particles. Commonly used flow cytometers such as the Becton-Dickinson Immunocytometry Systems “FACSCAN” (San Jose, Calif.) can measure forward light scatter (generally correlated with the refractive index and size of the particle being illuminated), side light scatter (generally correlated with the particle's size), and particle fluorescence at one or more wavelengths. (Fluorescence is typically imparted by incorporating, or attaching a fluorochrome within the particle.) Flow cytometers and various techniques for their use are described in, generally, in “Practical Flow Cytometry” by Howard M. Shapiro (Alan R. Liss, Inc., 1985) and “Flow Cytometry and Sorting, Second Edition” edited by Melamed et al. (Wiley-Liss, 1990).
One skilled in the art will recognize that one type of “particle” analyzed by a flow cytometer may be man-made microspheres or beads. Microspheres or beads for use in flow cytometry are generally known in the art and may be obtained from manufacturers such as Spherotech (Libertyville, Ill.), and Molecular Probes (Eugene, Oreg.).
Although a multiplexed analysis capability theoretically would provide enormous benefits in the art of flow cytometry, very little multiplexing capability has been previously achieved. Prior multiplexed assays have obtained only a limited number of determinations. A review of some of these prior art techniques is provided by McHugh, “Flow Microsphere Immunoassay for the Quantitative and Simultaneous Detection of Multiple Soluble Analytes,” in Methods in Cell Biology, 42, Part B, (Academic Press, 1994). For example, McHugh et al., “Microsphere-Based Fluorescence Immunoassays Using Flow Cytometry Instrumentation,” in Clinical Flow Cytometry Ed. K. D. Bauer, et al., Williams and Williams, Baltimore, Md., 1993, 535-544, describe an assay where microspheres of different sizes are used as supports and the identification of microspheres associated with different analytes was based on distinguishing a microsphere's size. Other references in this area include Lindmo, et al., “Immunometric Assay by Flow Cytometry Using Mixtures of Two Particle Types of Different Affinity,” J. Immun. Meth., 126, 183-189 (1990); McHugh, “Flow Cytometry and the Application of Microsphere-Based Fluorescence Immunoassays,” Immunochemica, 5, 116 (1991); Horan et al., “Fluid Phase Particle Fluorescence Analysis: Rheumatoid Factor Specificity Evaluated by Laser Flow Cytophotometry” in Immunoassays in the Clinical Laboratory, 185-198 (Liss 1979); Wilson et al., “A New Microsphere-Based Immunofluorescence Assay Using Flow Cytometry,” J. Immunological Methods, 107, 225-230 (1988); and Fulwyler et al., “Flow Microsphere Immunoassay for the Quantitative and Simultaneous Detection of Multiple Soluble Analytes,” Meth. Cell Biol., 33, 613-629 (1990).
The above cited methods have been unsatisfactory as applied to provide a filly multiplexed assay capable of real-time analysis of more than a few different analytes. For example, certain of the assay methods replaced a single ELISA procedure with a flow cytometer-based assay. These methods were based on only a few characteristics of the particles under analysis and enabled simultaneous determination of only a very few analytes in the assay. Also, the analytic determinations made were hampered due to software limitations including the inability to perform real-time processing of the acquired assay data. In summary, although it has been previously hypothesized that flow cytometry may possibly be adapted to operate and provide benefit in a multiple analyte assay process, such an adaptation has not in reality been accomplished.
Analysis of Genetic Information
The availability of genetic information and association of disease with mutation(s) of critical genes has generated a rich field of clinical analysis. In particular, the use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and its variants have facilitated genetic analysis. A major advance in this field is described in our co-pending and contemporaneously filed U.S. Application entitled “Methods and Compositions for Flow Cytometric Determination of DNA Sequences.” This co-pending application describes a powerful flow cytometric assay for PCR products, which may be multiplexed in accordance with the present invention. A multiplexed flow cytometric assay for PCR reaction products would provide a significant advantage in the field of genetic analysis.
Recent advances in genetic analyses have provided a wealth of information regarding specific mutations occurring in particular genes in given disease states. Consequently, use of an individual's genet
Chandler Mark B.
Chandler Van S.
Fulton Jerrold R.
Fredman Jeffrey
Luminex Corporation
Pepper Hamilton LLP
Villacorta Gilberto M.
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