Patent ID: 7351526

Claim:
A method for the detection of a conformational disease which is characterized by a conformational transition of Prion Protein between the PrP C non-pathogenic conformer and the PrP SC pathogenic conformer, by assaying a marker of said disease within a sample, which method comprises: (i) contacting said sample with an amount of the PrP C non-pathogenic conformer; (ia) incubating said sample with said PrP C non-pathogenic conformer; (ii) disaggregating any aggregates eventually formed during step (i); and (iii) determining the presence and/or amount of said PrP SC pathogenic conformer within the sample, the pathogenic conformer being a marker for the presence of said disease, wherein steps (ia) and (ii) form a cycle which is repeated at least twice before carrying out step (iii).