Products
Sword Diagnostics is pleased to announce the launch of its new 96-well plate reader for highly sensitive immunoassays. Sword has combined a proprietary ELISA substrate with Raman spectroscopy to dramatically increase the performance of immunoassays for diagnostics, research and drug discovery. The components include the new plate reader as well as reagent kits that may be incorporated into immunoassays utilizing horse-radish peroxidase (HRP).

This novel new technology provides:
• Enhanced Sensitivity
  – Improved Analytical Limit of Detection (LOD)
  – Improved Marker Detectability
     • Dose Response Curves shift toward lower analyte concentrations
  – Improved Sample Distinction
     • Increased Sample / Negative Ratios
• Integrates easily into existing assays
• Extended dynamic range
• Reduced sample sizes

Instrument
The reader is a custom, state-of-the-art Raman spectrometer with a small 22” x 20” footprint. It is operated via an external PC, and is designed for rapid and accurate measurements in 96-well microtiter plates. Read times are approximately six minutes per plate. All data acquisition and data management are automatic. Most brands of commercially available microtiter plates are compatible with this system.

Reagent Kits
The activation of the Sword Raman substrate is catalyzed by HRP in a sensitive and highly quantitative manner. This allows the Raman detection reagent to be easily integrated into existing assays that utilize HRP or custom assays. Detection Reagent Kits include Raman substrates, buffer, and stop solution. Custom developed kits and assays are available upon request.

Approved Instruments
These reagents are approved and supported for use on the Sword 96-well Raman Plate Reader.

R&D System's IL-2 ELISA was run with TMB vs the Sword detection system. The assay was not optimized for the Sword reagents. Sword showed a 13X improvement in limit of detection.