Patent ID: 8030484

Claim:
A method for detecting a prion protein in a sample, and/or removing a prion protein from a sample, which method comprises contacting the sample with a compound of formula (I) wherein R 3 is hydrogen or an aryl group substituent or R 3 is a solid support optionally attached via a spacer; Z represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom or NR 4 ; Y represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom or NR 5 ; wherein R 4 and R 5 , which may be the same or different, represent hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, optionally substituted phenyl, optionally substituted benzyl or optionally substituted β-phenylethyl; and X 1 and X 2 both represent a nitrogen atom; R 1 represents a group —(CH 2 ) m -Q 1 , wherein m is from 0 to 7, and Q 1 represents —NR 11 R 12 , in which R 11 and R 12 , together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form an optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl group, and R 2 represents a group —(CH 2 ) n -Q 2 , wherein n is from 0 to 7, and Q 2 represents —CR 21 R 22 R 23 or —NR 21 R 22 , in which R 23 represents hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl or heterocyclo-alkyl, and R 21 and R 22 , together with the carbon or nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form an optionally substituted cycloalkyl or optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl group; wherein the compound has affinity for binding the prion protein.