Patent ID: 8168399

Claim:
A method for performing an assay of a sample comprising an analyte, the method comprising: contacting a support with a biomolecule to immobilize the biomolecule on the support, wherein the biomolecule is capable of interacting with the analyte and wherein the support comprises a substrate and a binding polymer directly or indirectly attached to the substrate, wherein the binding polymer comprises a pre-blocked binding polymer the formula (I): having a plurality of maleic anhydride reactive groups (m) and a plurality of inactive groups (n), where X is a divalent NH, O, or S; R is H, or a substituted or an unsubstituted, linear or branched, alkyl group, an oligo(ethylene oxide), an oligo(ethylene glycol), or a dialkyl amine; R′ is a residue of a first unsaturated monomer that has been copolymerized with maleic anhydride; the relative ratio (m:n) of the maleic anhydride reactive groups to the inactive groups in the attached binding polymer is from 0.5 to 10, and the pre-blocked binding polymer does not contain a photoreactive group; contacting the support having the immobilized biomolecule with the sample comprising the analyte whereby the analyte is bound to the biomolecule on the support; and detecting the bound analyte.