The majority of electrochemical cells used in current diagnostic tests have electrodes positioned within the cell in a traditional side-by-side or ‘co-planar’ layout.
This side-by-side layout is designed to minimise the electrical interference between the electrodes. One of the key scientists now employed by Universal Biosensors was involved in the seminal discovery that the interference between electrodes is predictable and useful. This discovery suggested that the use of flat, parallel electrodes which were close to one another and opposing could be used to improve the electrochemical measurement of reactions in the blood. The use of opposing electrodes was counter to conventional wisdom at the time which was that electrochemical cells had to have a non-interfering co-planar electrode layout in order to measure reactions in the blood.
• The key differentiating features of the point-of-care tests currently being developed by Universal Biosensors are the novel configuration of the electrochemical cells in the test strips, together with the proprietary signal processing in the test meters.
• The novel electrochemical cell in the test strip is designed to allow for greater accuracy while retaining other critical features including the ability to obtain results quickly using only a small finger prick sample of blood.
• The process for manufacturing the test strips is designed to be economical and capitalises on the use of commercially available materials.