The reagent cartridges of the SimplexTAS 101 system are essential to ensure accurate and safe results in clinical analysis. These cartridges feature advanced, patented design and functionality. They come preloaded and calibrated, eliminating handling errors and enabling fast, easy use in point-of-care testing (POCT) environments. Their sealed design minimizes the risk of contamination and ensures reagent stability, delivering reliable results in tests such as creatine kinase, CRP, hemoglobin, glucose, or lipid profile. In addition, their disposable format enhances traceability and quality control throughout the analytical process.
As shown in the attached image, the cartridge, despite its simple exterior, contains a complex internal system. Notably, it includes a reaction chamber with a specific solution and three separate reagent reservoirs, which vary depending on the parameter or analyte being tested.
The architecture of the cartridge, combined with the operation of the SimplexTAS 101 analyzer, enables the execution of a complex analytical process in a fully automated manner. Once the blood sample is collected using the capillary integrated into the cartridge and reinserted into it, the cartridge is placed into the analyzer. The analysis process begins with centrifugation (the SimplexTAS 101 analyzer includes a microcentrifuge), followed by a series of reactions using the various reagents contained within the cartridge. The process concludes with a spectrophotometric reading of the results.
Importance of Reagent Cartridges in the SimplexTAS 101
The patented reagent cartridges are essential to the operation of the SimplexTAS 101 analysis system, a compact and automated immunochromatographic analyzer designed for point-of-care testing (POCT). Their importance lies in several key aspects:
🔬Reagent Containment and Precise Dosing: Each cartridge is designed for a specific test parameter (e.g., Creatine Kinase, HbA1c, Glucose, Creatinine, CRP, etc.) and contains all the necessary reagents, both liquid and lyophilized, in the exact quantities required for a single analysis. This eliminates the need for manual reagent preparation, reduces the risk of dosing errors, and ensures test consistency.
🩸 Simplified Sample Handling: The cartridges are designed to use a very small volume of blood, typically a single drop obtained via fingerstick (between 4µL and 20µL depending on the parameter). The cartridge’s design facilitates easy sample application and internal processing.
⚙️ Automation of the Analytical Process: Once the sample is introduced into the cartridge and the cartridge is inserted into the SimplexTAS 101 analyzer, the system automates the subsequent steps. This includes plasma separation from cellular components when necessary (thanks to an internal centrifuge), as well as the controlled mixing of the sample with reagents within patented internal chambers and channels.
⏱️Speed and Efficiency: The use of ready-to-use cartridges significantly contributes to fast analysis, allowing results to be obtained in approximately 13 minutes. The system can analyze up to four different samples or parameters simultaneously, each with its own cartridge.
🛡️ Safety and Quality Control: The cartridges are single-use, which prevents cross-contamination between samples and ensures the integrity of each individual test. In addition, the system often includes internal quality controls (IQC) related to the performance of both the cartridge and the analyzer.
🔄Ease of Use and Portability: The cartridges simplify the testing process, making it accessible to personnel with minimal training in point-of-care settings, away from the central laboratory. Their design enhances the overall portability and convenience of the system.
📉Reduction of Errors and Variability: By standardizing reagent preparation and analytical steps within a disposable cartridge, operator-induced variability is minimized and the likelihood of human error is reduced, leading to more reliable and accurate results.
In summary, the reagent cartridges are the core of the SimplexTAS 101 system, enabling fast, accurate, automated, and user-friendly analysis of a variety of biochemical and immunological parameters directly at the point of care. Without these cartridges, the system would not be able to perform its functions efficiently and reliably.