PerkinElmer AlphaPlex reagent technology

PerkinElmer has launched AlphaPlex reagent technology. The product allows users to quantify multiple analytes in a single well for fast and accurate results, even with low sample volumes.

The homogeneous, all-in-one-well multiplexing reagent technology provides highly sensitive detection of a wide range of analytes in a simple, no-wash assay format. The system is said to enable a 5-20 times reduction in sample consumption compared to other multiplexing platforms and can be used with Alpha-enabled filter-based readers.

Based on the company’s Alpha Technology, an alternative to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), AlphaPlex reagents are a homogeneous luminescent proximity technology. When the donor and acceptor beads are brought together, a cascade of chemical reactions is set in motion, causing a greatly amplified signal. By using multiple acceptor beads which emit different wavelengths, multiple analytes can be detected.

Researchers can use the reagents to quantify a broad range of analytes, from nucleotides to large proteins, and to immunophenotype various cell populations including immortalised, primary and stem cells. The reagents can be used to perform ratiometric signal measurement, allowing for higher reproducibility and a lower false-positive rate - an important feature in high-throughput screening.