Saint Louis University has received US Patent No. 8,431,388, "Three-component biosensors for detecting macromolecules and other analytes." According to the patent, the molecular biosensor generally consists of two epitope-binding agents and an oligonucleotide construct. A method is also claimed that includes contacting an oligonulceotide construct, two epitope-binding agents, and a sample, and detecting whether the epitope-binding agents bind to the oligonucleotide construct. Binding of the agents to the oligonucleotide construct indicates the presence of target in the sample. According to the inventors, the claimed molecular biosensors are useful in several methods including in the identification and quantification of target molecules.
Micronics (Sony) of Redmond, Wash., has received US Patent No. 8,431,389, "Portable high-gain fluorescence detection system." An instrument is claimed for fluorometric assays in liquid samples. According to the patent, the instrument may include multiple optical channels for monitoring a first fluorophore associated with a target analyte and a second fluorophore associated with a control. The inventors claim that the system can be used in a number of applications, including microfluidic molecular biological assays based on PCR amplification of target nucleic acids, and fluorometric assays in general.