Point-of-Care Microfluidics
Devices for Rapid Testing
Point-of-care testing is performed near or at the site of a patient. Microfluidic point-of-care equipment and devices can quickly detect diseases at a low cost and enable much quicker treatment.
The early diagnosis of infectious diseases is critical because it can dramatically increase recovery rates. Often, point-of-care applications also find their use in areas where medical care is not comprehensive or there is a lack in sufficient medical facilities.
POC devices are often used in settings like doctors’ offices and patients’ homes rather than in centralized laboratories. Such devices also find applications outside the healthcare world, and therefore, the term “point-of-need” is sometimes used.
Already established types of tests and analytes in the medical field include:
Immunoassays, Molecular Diagnostics, Blood Gas Analysis, Blood Chemistry, Cardiac Markers, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, Microbial Infections, Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST), Respiratory Diseases, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD), Foodborne Pathogens-just to name a few.
Benefits of Point-of-Care Devices
Microfluidic point-of-care devices are effective choices for the rapid detection of pathogens and biomarkers. They reduce the sample-to-result time and eliminate the need for fully equipped laboratories. Microfluidic point-of-care chips are highly sensitive and can reduce the amount of samples needed while also requiring less volume of sample, like a drop of blood from a finger prick. Advanced POC devices even offer multiplexing capabilities and enable simultaneous testing of multiple analytes.
Key Characteristics of Point-of-Care-Devices
- Rapid results
- Simplicity of use, minimal training required
- Reagents often stored on board
- Portability
- Performance similar to lab testing
- Fully automated, eliminating operator interference
- Only low sample volumes and amounts required
The Challenge with Designing Point-of-Care Microfluidic Devices
Using conventional medical testing requires specialized laboratory equipment and operators. In areas that lack sufficient medical facilities, the rapid detection of diseases is challenging. To meet these challenges, simple point-of-care devices that can emulate lab tests are increasingly replacing traditional methods of testing.
Challenges include making these devices small enough, easy to use, and cost-effective, yet still produce rapid and accurate results. Also, those carrying out these tests could be doctors, nurses, emergency medical personnel, or even patients, so simplicity of use with minimal training is crucial.
To produce microfluidic POC devices, scalable manufacturing is a key challenge. thinXXS Microtechnology GmbH is a global leader in the development and production of microfluidic solutions with a demonstrated capability to manufacture complex microfluidic cartridges at large scale.
Our Solutions—Maximizing Assay Performance
thinXXS has become a trusted partner for clients innovating in fields like in-vitro diagnostics, veterinary, life sciences, drug development, environmental testing, and food testing (to name just a few).
Our solutions portfolio includes several unit operations, which are commonly required on integrated microfluidic cartridges for point-of-care devices. We offer our clients unique and proven solutions, e.g., for storage of wet and dry reagents, for on-chip valving, pumping, and for fluid management.
We help our customers with capabilities that utilize microfluidic assays and achieve sample-to-answer solutions. Our unique capabilities maximize assay performance, reduce risk, and enable complete optimization of your point-of-care assay into a single integrated device. With our ability to manage high-precision parts at high volume, we manufacture millions of parts for our clients.
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Contact
For questions or general inquiries,
please use the form on our contact page or mail us at
thx-sales@idexcorp.com
Our facility in Zweibruecken is located at:
Amerikastrasse 21
66482 Zweibruecken, Germany
Tel: +49 6332 8002 0