US Patent 7998748 - Detecting an analyte using a test element with nanofibers

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7998748.html

This patent from Roche Diagnostics Operations includes some basic claims to using long polymer nanofibers in diagnostic test elements. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for qualitative or quantitative determination of an analyte in a bodily fluid sample, comprising:

providing a test element having nanofibers comprising fleeces, fabrics, membranes, layers or combinations thereof, at least some of the nanofibers having a length of at least 2 mm and containing more than one polymer bead thereon;

providing a photometric or electrochemical detection reagent with the test element for detecting the analyte in the bodily fluid sample;

applying the bodily fluid sample to the test element, wherein the nanofibers act on the liquid sample; and

determining a quantitative or qualitative property of the bodily fluid sample.

US Patent 7815855 - Test element with nanofibers

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7815855.html

Diagnostic test strips are typically formed from fabrics which retain large volumes of fluid in the interstitial spaces of the fibers. This can be problematic when only small sample volumes are desired. This patent from Roche Diagnostics Operations teaches a polymeric nanofiber test element more compatible with small fluid volumes. Claim 1 reads:  

1. A test element for detecting an analyte in a liquid sample, comprising a detection reagent for detecting an analyte, the detection reagent and nanofibers applied to a porous or non-porous support material, at least some of the nanofibers containing more than one polymer bead thereon and having a length of at least 2 mm.

US Patent 7427491 - Polymer biosensor including sensing and transducing nanoparticles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7427491.html

This patent from Roche Diagnostics teaches a new type of biosensor which uses a single rather than multi-layer structure formed from analyte recognition nanoparticles doped with a luminescent dye and transduction nanoparticles conjugated with an oxidative enzyme. Claim 1 reads:

1. A sensor comprising:

a polymer layer, said polymer layer comprising recognizing and transducing properties,

wherein said recognizing properties are provided by a recognizing component, said transducing properties are provided by a transducer, and said recognizing component and said transducer are contained in one or more solid or semi-solid nanoparticles,

wherein said nanoparticles have a mean diameter of between about 10 and 500 nm and wherein said nanoparticles are embedded in said polymer layer.