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® 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® 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® 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® BONE & MINERAL METABOLISM
Our VIDAS® Bone & Mineral Metabolism assays offer a complete solution for the diagnosis of chronic kidney diseases, the determination of vitamin D, and iron deficiency.
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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® Cardiac Assays
Improve Patient Outcomes and Optimize Patient Management in the Emergency Department
An easy access to innovative cardiac tests for acute and complex situations to deliver reliable, fast, and actionable results to clinicians. bioMérieux with VIDAS® provides a comprehensive emergency & critical care offer for better patient with cardiovascular disease management in the emergency department.
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VIDAS® C. difficile Panel
Rapid identification of C. difficile infection
The VIDAS® C. difficile Panel includes two complementary tests that aid in the diagnosis of C. difficile infection.
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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® Hepatitis Panel
Routine and confirmation testing of Hepatitis A, B, C and E
The VIDAS® Hepatitis panel includes 11 markers for the diagnosis of recent infection, monitoring of chronic hepatitis, pre- or post-vaccination immunity controls and screening during pregnancy.
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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 actionable results in only 2 hours and for the risk stratification of adult 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® is an automated test for use on the VIDAS® 3 instrument for the immunoenzymatic quantitative determination of TIMP-2 (Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2) and IGFBP-7 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-Binding Protein 7) proteins in human urine using the ELFA technique (Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay).
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-proBNP2
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 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-based 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® TB-IGRA
Reliable and fully automated solution for Tuberculosis (TB) infection detection
Available on the VIDAS® 3 immunoanalyzer, VIDAS® TB-IGRA is an aid in the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
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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.
Useful Resources on Immunoassay Testing
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