NOVEL FLUOROCHROMES FOR IMMUNODIAGNOSTIC ASSAYS

IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE IS A HIGHLY SPECIFIC AND SENSITIVE METHOD THAT IS VERY USEFUL IN THE STUDY, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF A VARIETY OF HUMAN DISEASES. IN PHASE I, VIOMEDICS, INC., WILL DEVELOP NEW REAGENTS TO FILL A GAP IN THE COMMERCIAL AVAILABILITY OF FLUOROCHROMES THAT ARE WELL SUITED FOR RAPID, SENSITIVE, AND COST-EFFECTIVE IMMUNOASSAYS, AND THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH BOTH STANDARD AND NEW INSTRUMENTS. VIOMEDICS, INC., WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A SERIES OF NOVEL OXAZINE AND THIAZINE FLUOROCHROMES THAT ARE ACTIVATED FOR READY COUPLING WITH PROTEINS UNDER GENTLE CONDITIONS AND THAT POSSESS THE FOLLOWING DESIRABLE FLUORESCENCE CHARACTERISTICS: (1) EXCITATION MAXIMA BETWEEN 490 AND 650 NM, (2) FLUORESCENCE EMISSION ABOVE 550 NM, (3) HIGH QUANTUM YIELD, AND (4) HIGH FLUORESCENCE EFFICIENCY AFTER COUPLING WITH PROTEIN. THESE FLUOROCHROMES WILL BE EVALUATED FOR SUITABILITY IN CELLULAR IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE ASSAYS BY FLUORESCENCE MICROSCOPY AND FLOW CYTOMETRY. OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF TWO- AND THREE-COLOR FLUORESCENCE ASSAYS BY WHICH TWO OR MORE ANTIGENS MAY BE MEASURED SIMULTANEOUSLYAND CORRELATED. FLUOROCHROMES WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR THIS PURPOSE THAT CAN BE USED IN COMBINATION WITH EACH OTHER, OR WITH EXISTING PRODUCTS. IN PHASE II, THESE FLUOROCHROMES AND REAGENTS WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP KITS OF MATCHED REAGENTS FOR IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE DETECTION OF TUMOR CELLS.