What is an Immunoassay?
Immunoassays enable the identification and quantification of the presence of antigens and/or antibodies in a given sample (serum, plasma, blood, etc.). This is based on the immune reaction that occurs when an antibody recognizes a specific antigen in the sample being tested.
It is possible to detect and/or quantify the following:
- The different types of antigens (viruses, bacteria, parasites, hormones, and markers that are specific to certain diseases).
- The response to these antigens through the intermediary of antibodies present in the body. Immunoassays are used by centralized and decentralized laboratories, blood banks, emergency wards and fertility centers in both developed and developing countries. This technique is applied, for example, in the measurement of markers of infectious diseases, sepsis, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
Why is Immunoassay Testing Important?
Immunoassay testing is an important tool in the field of diagnostics and provides key and sometimes critical information at multiple points along the healthcare continuum, from risk assessment and early diagnosis to treatment, patient follow-up, and disease management.
- Diagnosis of diseases: Immunoassay testing is used to diagnose a wide range of diseases, including infectious and cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. By detecting the presence of specific molecules in the blood or other bodily fluids, clinicians can identify the underlying cause of symptoms to help determine the appropriate treatment plan for patients.
- Monitoring treatment: Immunoassay testing is also used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment for certain infections and diseases. By measuring the levels of specific molecules over time, clinicians can determine whether the treatment is working or if escalation or de-escalation with more appropriate antibiotics is needed.
What Challenges are Laboratories Facing with Immunoassay Testing?
Immunoassay testing allows clinicians to perform a variety of diagnostics tests including immunochemistry, infectious disease, and emergency and critical care panel tests. A wide range of increasingly sophisticated diagnostic tests are used to establish or confirm a diagnosis, to determine appropriate treatment, and to monitor its efficacy. Clinicians rely on rapid diagnostics, but also demand quality and performance. Because all labs are operating in the context of cost pressure due to a highly competitive market, clinicians need to be able to run the right tests at the right time and get accurate information quickly.
bioMérieux fills a gap in the market, providing labs worldwide with Immunoassay solutions that offer:
- Low volume sample when single testing is appropriate
- Cost rationalization
- Workflow optimization
- Menus that fulfill market needs: Routine tests to answer daily demands, Emergency & critical care tests, High Medical Value (HMV) biomarkers
- Diagnostic/Panel area
- Technology not available on big instruments: Single test concept technology, Additional menu with connectivity (technology + informatics)
- Worldwide distribution
Our Immunoassay Testing Offer
Reliable, Flexible, Simple Immunoassay Testing
At the core of our immunoassay offer is the VIDAS® Solutions of instruments that represent one of the broadest installed bases of benchtop immunoanalyzers in the world. The success of VIDAS® is based on the quality of its reagents and the robustness and ease of use of its instruments, associating the single-test concept (one patient, one test, one result) with ELFA technology. The comprehensive VIDAS® menu offers more than 80 parameters for routine, emergency, complementary, and confirmation testing to allow clinicians to make the right treatment decisions.
Innovation is part of the VIDAS® DNA, with constant research into new parameters with high medical added value. The instruments are also evolving towards greater simplicity and automation for enhanced lab productivity.
The systems and reagents in the VIDAS® range have long enjoyed an excellent reputation earned by the system’s robustness and the quality of reagents. The large number of systems installed worldwide facilitates the launch of new parameters on a vast scale, making them rapidly accessible to large numbers of clinicians.
Disclaimer: Product availability varies by country. Please consult your local bioMérieux representative for product availability in your country.
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VIDAS® KUBE™
Stackable benchtop automated immunoassay solution
VIDAS® KUBE™ is designed to preserve everything labs appreciate about the VIDAS® Solution combined with advanced technology. VIDAS® KUBE™ is a truly flexible, cost-effective automated immunoassay solution providing fast results in complete confidence.
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VIDAS® 3
Trusted. Robust. Innovative.
With its advanced immunoassay technology and optimized testing protocols, the fully automated VIDAS® 3 benchtop immunoanalyzer empowers your lab with confidence, offering the precise results you need, when you need them.
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VIDAS® Arboviruses Panel
Suspecting an Arbovirus? Think Dengue and Chikungunya
Our VIDAS® offer of immunoassays directed against arboviruses diseases improve access to medically important automated diagnostic tests.
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VIDAS® B•R•A•H•M•S PCT™
Important Biomarker for Improved Patient Management
Detects procalcitonin, a biomarker that aids in the risk assessment for progression to severe sepsis and septic shock. PCT also aids in decision making on antibiotic therapy for patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI).
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VIDAS® C. difficile Panel
Rapid identification of C. difficile infection
The VIDAS® C. difficile GDH and TOXIN A & B (CDAB) are two complementary tests used as an aid in the diagnosis of C. difficile associated disease. NEW IVDR: VIDAS® GDH and VIDAS® CDAB are already CE Marked under the new In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (EU) 2017/746 (IVDR).
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VIDAS® D-DIMER EXCLUSION™ II
Safe Exclusion of Venous Thromboembolism
VIDAS® D-Dimer Exclusion™ II is a highly-sensitive automated D-Dimer assay. Used in conjunction with assessment of clinical pretest probability, it allows safe exclusion of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in both low and intermediate suspected outpatient risk groups in just 20 minutes.
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VIDAS® High sensitive Troponin I
Optimize the Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)
The VIDAS® High sensitive Troponin I assay is intended to be used as an aid in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction delivering a diagnosis in only two hours and for the risk stratification of patients with acute coronary syndrome.
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VIDAS® Hormone & Fertility Assays
A Full Panel for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Infertility and Adrenocortical Disorders
The VIDAS® Fertility panel provides key diagnostic tools for the investigation of reproductive hormone dysfunctions such as precocious and delayed puberty, amenorrhea, hirsutism, hyperprolactinemia, perimenopause and menopause, hypogonadism, gynecomastia, and azoospermia
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VIDAS® NEPHROCHECK®
Reveal Kidney Stress Early. Drive Better Outcomes.
VIDAS® NEPHROCHECK® measures urinary TIMP-2 & IGFBP-7, specific urinary biomarkers for early risk assessment of moderate to severe Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). The VIDAS® NEPHROCHECK® assay is intended to be used in conjunction with clinical evaluation as an aid in the risk assessment for moderate or severe acute kidney injury (AKI) in acutely ill patients.
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VIDAS® NT-proBNP 2
Exclusion or Confirmation of Acute Heart Failure
VIDAS® NT-proBNP2 is a useful tool for rapid and clinical assessment and diagnosis of patients with symptoms of suspected heart failure.
High sensitivity and specificity allows initiation of timely, appropriate treatment.
Cost-effective tool adapted to emergency situations.
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VIDAS® SARS-COV-2
Two immunoassay tests to detect IgM & IgG antibodies
VIDAS® SARS-COV-2 IgM and VIDAS® SARS-COV-2 IgG II automated qualitative assays rapidly detect antibodies to help identify individuals with previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
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VIDAS® TBI (GFAP, UCH-L1)
RULES-OUT Intracranial Lesions for mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Fast all-in-one test kit based on blood brain biomarkers to predict absence of intracranial lesions in mild Traumatic Brain Injury patients and objectively assess the need for a head CT-scan.
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VIDAS® Thyroid Assays
A Full Panel for the Investigation of Thyroid Diseases
The VIDAS® Thyroid panel includes 8 automated tests to aid clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of thyroid disorders.
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VIDAS® ToRC Panel
Serenity throughout Pregnancy
The VIDAS® ToRC panel included 9 automated tests for the screening and diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, rubella, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections.
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MYACUTECASE™ Mobile App
All the information you need for confident clinical decision- making with the VIDAS® Emergency & Critical Care assays
Designed for healthcare professionals, MYACUTECASE™ is a first-of-its-kind app. Used in conjunction with clinical assessment and other laboratory findings, it provides comprehensive biomarker information and useful tools for:
Useful Resources on Immunoassay Testing
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