Patent ID: 9372187
Filing Date: 2016-06-21
CPC Classification: G01N

Claim Text:
1. A method for detecting a target substance in a sample, comprising steps of: mixing a first bound substance in which a first substance containing a stimuli-responsive polymer binds to a first affinity substance having affinity to the target substance, a second bound substance in which a hydrophilic second substance binds to a second affinity substance having affinity to the target substance, and the sample; placing the mixture under conditions to aggregate the stimuli-responsive polymer; and determining if the stimuli-responsive polymer is dispersed or not, wherein the first affinity substance and the second affinity substance can simultaneously bind to different sites of the target substance; and determining that the target substance is present in a case in which aggregation inhibition of the stimuli-responsive polymer is confirmed via inhibition of the aggregation of the stimuli-responsive polymer by the second bound substance, and that the target substance is not present in a case in which aggregation inhibition of the stimuli-responsive polymer is not confirmed; wherein the step of determining if dispersion is present or not is carried out under conditions to aggregate the stimuli-responsive polymer.