Patent ID: 7998742
Filing Date: 2011-08-16
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of carrying out an assay for a non-fluorescent substance in an assay sample, which method comprises: (a) carrying out a binding reaction in solution between a non-fluorescent substance in an assay sample and a fluorescent marker compound, the sample and marker compound being combined at time t (b) exciting the fluorescence in the marker compound, wherein the nature of the marker and the nature of the excitation are such that the said fluorescence occurs at a wavelength at which said fluorescence is altered by the binding reaction of the marker compound with the non-fluorescent substance; (c) detecting, at multiple time points, resulting fluorescence data as the reaction progresses; (d) calculating from the detected fluorescence data the values of F (e) calculating from the values of F (f) determining from the calculated values and a calibration algorithm the concentration of the non-fluorescent substance present in the sample at t