NorthJersey.com reports that Hackensack University Medical Center is the first hospital in the nation with the ability to immediately identify anthrax, ricin and other toxic agents, using a $69,000 BioVeris M1M Analyzer.
From the product page at BioVeris:
The BV Tests are intended for the detection of biological agents, including Botulinum neurotoxins A, B, E and F, Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A and B, Ricin, and Anthrax spores.
BV Tests use a sandwich immunoassay format. One antibody, specific for the pathogen to be measured, is immobilized on micro particles. The other antibody is labeled with BioVeris’ BV-TAGTM label. The sample is mixed with these reagents.
When the specific pathogen to be measured is present in the sample, both antibodies bind to it, effectively linking together the micro particles, the organism and BV-TAG label. The reaction mixture is then transported with an assay buffer to a flow cell with an electrode which stimulates the bound BV-TAG label to emit light.
The bead-based format has been proven to provide robust performance from many different applications, even when challenged with the most demanding and complex food matrices. Only BV Tests provide these unprecedented levels of sensitivity and accuracy.
Company’s website describes the proprietary BioVeris(BV)TM technology of this instrument with animations and videos, to further explain how it works.
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