Patent ID: 8404479

Claim:
A membrane assay method for detecting or quantitating an analyte in a specimen sample using (i) an assay device equipped with a membrane bound with a capture-substance to capture the analyte and (ii) a filter tube consisting of a body part and a tip part, wherein the body part of the filter tube is made of flexible material, wherein the method comprises the steps of: (i) placing a suspension of specimen in the body part of the filter tube; (ii) attaching the tip part equipped with a filter to the body part; (iii) filtering the specimen sample through the filter by applying pressure in the filter tube by hand; (iv) then dropping the filtrate onto the membrane; and (v) detecting or quantitating the presence of the analyte in the specimen sample, wherein a pore size or particle retention size of the membrane is not less than a pore size or particle retention size of the filter.