This chapter explains the technology and chemistry behind the TRIAGE^® quantitative point-of-care system for the detection of multiple analytes in whole blood and urine. The system consists of a portable instrument and a disposable assay device. The fluorescence energy transfer dye chemistry is presented. The design and principles of the disposable device are explained and illustrated. The TRIAGE meter, multi-analyte measurement, calibration, antibodies, quality control and data processing are described.

Thomas Koshy is currently the Sr. Director of Scientific Affairs for Alere, Inc. He has a Bachelors Degree in Biology from Kalamazoo College and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology from Northwestern University. He is a career scientist in the diagnostics industry starting with eleven years at Abbott Laboratories Diagnostics Division. He began his focus on point-of-care diagnostics by joining Biosite, Inc. in 2006. Biosite has since been acquired by Inverness Medical and rebranded to Alere. Dr. Koshy is an author on the CLSI Guidance document POCT09: Selection Criteria for Point-of-Care Testing Devices, and currently serves on the CAP POC Committee.

This chapter contains material written by Kenneth Buechler, who was President, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Biosite Incorporated. Dr. Buechler co-invented some of the Biosite proprietary technologies, including the Triage Drugs of Abuse Panel and the Triage Meter Plus platform. From 1988 to 1994, Dr. Buechler was Biosite's Director of Chemistry, and subsequently was Vice-President of Research. Prior to forming Biosite, Dr. Buechler was a senior research scientist for the Diagnostics Research and Development Group at Hybritech Incorporated in San Diego. He was responsible for the design and synthesis of reagents for use in the first rapid, visual pregnancy test, the ICON^® hCG test. Dr. Buechler received his doctorate in biochemistry and his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Indiana University. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the Biochemical Society, the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, and the American Association of Clinical Chemists.

TRIAGE^®, near-patient, point-of-care, lateral flow, immunochromatography, over-the-counter, fluorescence energy transfer, latex, multiplex, calibration, antibodies, quality control, diagnostic panel, cardiac panel, drug screening.