Element tags based on novel metal-polymer conjugates are provided for elemental analysis of analytes, including ICP-MS. A polymer backbone is functionalized to irreversibly bind metals that are selected prior to use by the user. The polymer is further functionalized to attach a linker which allows for attachment to antibodies or other affinity reagents. The polymer format allows attachment of many copies of a given isotope, which linearly improves sensitivity. The metal-polymer conjugate tags enable multiplexed assay in two formats: bulk assay, where the average biomarker distribution in the sample is diagnostic, and single cell format to distinguish a rare (for example a diseased) cell in a complex sample (for example, blood).

Claims

24 · 1 independent · depth 6

24 granted claims

›1.independentA method of preparing an element tag, comprising:n(i) providing a copolymer comprising N,N-dimethyl acrylamide and N-acryloxysuccinimide, the copolyme…+23

›2.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the copolymer comprises synthesizing the copolymer using reversible addition fragmentation polyme…d2

›3.↳ 1The method of claim 1, further comprising functionalizing the copolymer with a functional group, wherein the functional group is capable of covalently…d2+6

›7.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein the copolymer comprises a functional group capable of covalently binding the copolymer to a linker; and comprisingn(iii…d2+11

›8.↳ 7The method of claim 7, wherein the step of binding the at least one metal atom to the at least one metal-binding pendant group is performed before ste…d3

›9.↳ 7The method of claim 7, wherein the step of binding the at least one metal atom to the at least one metal-binding pendant group is performed before ste…d3

›10.↳ 7The method of claim 7, wherein the step of binding the at least one metal atom to the at least one metal-binding pendant group is performed after step…d3

›11.↳ 7The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of attaching a spacer to the linker, wherein,nthe spacer is capable of binding a biomolecule; andstep…d3+3

›12.↳ 7The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of attaching a spacer to the copolymer, wherein the spacer lies between the copolymer and the linker.d3+1

›18.↳ 7The method of claim 7, wherein the functional group that is capable of binding the spacer to the copolymer is a thiol-reactive group.d3+1

›20.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein the element tag has a polydispersity index of 1.1 to 1.2.d2

›21.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein the element tag has a polydispersity index of 1.02 to 1.05.d2

›22.↳ 1The method of claim 1, wherein the metal atom is a transition element, a lanthanide or an isotope of any of the foregoing.d2

Classifications

6 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section C — Chemistry; metallurgy

C08F8/32
C08F8/14
C08F8/42

Section G — Physics

G01N33/545
G01N33/544
G01N33/24

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Pendency

0.6 y

225 days filing → grant

Office actions

none on record

Responses

1 RCE

Examiner

Shafiqul Haq

art unit 1678 · TC 1600

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Priority chain

2 priority documents

Priority

27 May 2006

earliest claimed

›Priority documents — 2

Type	Document	Date
provisional	US 60803356	27 May 2006
related publication	US 20150183895 A1	2 Jul 2015

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