Patent ID: 8900822

Claim:
A method of detecting intact fibrinogen, comprising the steps of: a) Providing a sample containing at least some fibrinogen optionally converted at least in part to fibrin, and optionally containing thrombin; b) Solubilizing the sample in a solubilizing solution that inhibits thrombin activity; c) Applying a portion of said sample to a protein-binding membrane and immobilizing the fibrinogen on said membrane; d) Subjecting said membrane to at least one blocking step and removing fibrinopeptide A cleaved from fibrinogen from said membrane; e) Reacting the fibrinogen immobilized on said membrane with a primary monoclonal antibody capable of binding to fibrinopeptide A moiety to form a fibrinogen-antibody complex; f) Subjecting said membrane to at least one washing step to remove any unbound primary monoclonal antibody; g) Reacting said monoclonal antibody that formed the fibrinogen-antibody complex with a secondary antibody having a marker; h) Subjecting said membrane to at least one washing step to remove any unbound secondary antibody having a marker; and i) Detecting the quantity of intact fibrinogen in the sample by quantifying the amount of the marker.