Appeal No. 1997-2388
Application No. 08/326,304
amendment filed January 11, 1996, Paper No. 25, entered as per the advisory action
mailed February 7, 1996, Paper No. 27).
According to the specification,
the invention provides an assay for a viral antigen in which substantially all
binding sites of a solid support are filled with an inert protein. Antigen
capture onto the support containing inert protein is accomplished without a
specific capture antibody and thereby avoids the time consuming and labor
intensive step of producing specific capture antibody. The inert protein
inhibits substantially all nonspecific binding of other protein, including tracer
... (page 5, lines 13-21).
Claims 1 and 21 are illustrative and read as follows:
1. A method for assay of a viral antigen in an aqueous liquid
comprising:
a) combining a first aqueous liquid suspected of containing a viral
antigen to be detected with a membrane precoated with albumin or casein
but not with a specific capture antibody whereby said antigen is
nonimmunologically absorbed onto the precoated membrane;
b) separating said membrane from said first liquid by causing said
first liquid to pass through said membrane;
c) incubating said membrane having said viral antigen to be
detected absorbed thereon with a tracer comprising an antibody and an
enzyme selected from the group consisting of a cyclase, isomerase,
peroxidase and hydrolase whereby said viral antigen to be detected
absorbed on said precoated membrane binds to said tracer to give a bound
fraction including said enzyme on said membrane;
d) passing a second aqueous liquid containing a substrate for said
enzyme through said membrane, said substrate being converted by said
enzyme on said membrane to a colored product; and
e) detecting said viral antigen by a signal associated with the color of
said product.
21. A kit of materials for performing an assay for a viral antigen
comprising a membrane precoated with albumin or casin [sic, casein] but
not with a specific capture antibody, an antibody for the antigen to be
2
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