Advantages of Q-Sera’s Technology

Limitations of existing blood collection tubes have been known for many years. The predominant tube is the simple silica-based serum tube, which takes up to 30min to clot and when not clotted properly, can lead to particulates in the serum that can interfere with analysis equipment. Serum tubes with thrombin are available to clot samples faster, however these tubes are not effective against higher concentrations of anticoagulants and their high price has limited widespread adoption. Plasma tubes are centrifuged without clotting, however the resultant plasma still contains all the clotting factors and remnant cells and is not optimal for biochemical analysis.

Q-Sera has developed a gold standard serum tube, with a fast turn-around time that can be manufactured for universal implementation.

UNMET NEED: A serum tube which clots rapidly, produces High Quality Serum, is effective against anticoagulated samples and is low cost.

CURRENT BLOOD COLLECTION TUBES

Serum: Silica-Based Clotting Activator Tube

  • Leader in the market
  • Normal blood takes 15–30 min to clot
  • Partial or re-clotting can lead to inaccurate analyte readings and/or affect the equipment
  • Anticoagulated blood takes longer to clot (if at all)

Serum: Thrombin ‘Rapid Serum’ Tube

  • Fast clotting
  • Not effective at higher Heparin levels
  • High cost of production per tube

Plasma Tube

  • Plasma sample not optimal for biochemical analysis
  • Poor sample stability

MARKET PRESSURES

Anticoagulant Use Increasing

  • Increase in cardiac and dialysis use in hospitals
  • Increasing use of FXa inhibitors and direct thrombin inhibitors in the community setting

Rapid and Accurate Results

  • Increased focus on achieving turn-around time (TAT) - time from receipt of sample to analyte results
  • Increasing need for 'STAT' or Urgent tubes - fast and accurate diagnosis (e.g.) Troponin biomarker for myocardial infarction.

Enhanced Laboratory Efficiency

  • Efficient batch processing
  • Justification of cost / benefit
  • Reduction in laboratory errors and re-sampling
  • 7-day sample storage

BENEFITS OF RAPClot® RAPID SERUM TUBES

Fast and complete clotting
  • Clots anticoagulated blood
  • Majority of samples takes <5 min to clot
  • Fast and accurate testing
High quality serum
  • Minimal re-clotting in serum
  • Minimal cellular activity in serum
  • Key analytes stable over 7 days
Enhanced laboratory efficiency
  • Efficiency in batch processing - reduces turn around time
  • Minimizes equipment downtime
  • Accurate diagnosis and improved patient care
Commercial utility and advantage
  • Developed using standard plastic tubes
  • RAPClot® added to tube using spray technology
  • Formulation protective across Gamma and E-Beam sterilisation
  • Industry competitive shelf life
  • Low cost active enabling mass market entry
  • Patent protection through 2035