GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN BY AUTOMATED AFFINITY CHROMATOGRAPHY

CLASSICAL ASSAYS FOR DETERMINING BLOOD AND URINE GLUCOSE HAVE LIMITED VALUE FOR THE MONITORING OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVEL OVER TIME. MEASUREMENT OF GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN (GHB) IS ALREADY GAINING ACCEPTANCE FOR MANAGEMENT OF PERSONS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS. GHB LEVELS ARE NOT ONLY USEFUL FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT ALSO FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CARE GOALS AND FOR CARE REINFORCEMENT. IN THE FUTURE, MORE PHYSICIANS WILL USE GHB MEASUREMENTS FOR THE ROUTINE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES, AND THIS WILL REQUIRE MORE RELIABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE TEST METHODOLOGIES. ANATRACE, INC. PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A SEMI-AUTOMATED INSTRUMENT FOR MEASUREMENT OF GHB THAT WILL REDUCE HUMAN ERROR. THE HEART OF THE INSTRUMENT IS AN AFFINITY SUPPORT THAT WILL POSSESS SUFFICIENT LIGAND SIDE CHAINS AND HAVE EXCELLENT FLOW PROPERTIES. THE OBJECTIVE OF PHASE I IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS AFFINITY SUPPORT.