High-Density Antimicrobial Cartridge for Multiplexed Susceptibility Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) methods are limited by the use of cartridges with fewer than 130 reservoirs, which restricts the testing of multiple antimicrobials and drug concentrations, and are not versatile enough to accommodate new antimicrobial compounds or drug-resistant pathogens, leading to delays in antibiotic prescription and increased antibiotic resistance.
Innovation Solution
A cartridge system with at least 96 or 384 reservoirs, each containing multiple antimicrobials at various concentrations, allowing for a broader range of antimicrobial dilutions and the inclusion of quality control organisms, enabling more comprehensive antimicrobial susceptibility testing and quality control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cartridges with fewer than 130 reservoirs are used, then device complexity is reduced, but the number of antimicrobials and concentrations that can be tested is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is divided into multiple reservoirs (at least 96 or 384), with each reservoir containing a specific antimicrobial at a specific concentration. This segmentation allows simultaneous testing of multiple antimicrobials and concentrations in parallel, resolving the contradiction between testing capacity and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent expands from traditional single-antimicrobial testing to multi-antimicrobial multi-concentration testing by adding dimensional capacity to the cartridge system. The high-density reservoir arrangement enables testing across multiple dimensions of antimicrobial variety and concentration levels simultaneously.
2Stability of the object's composition
If dried antimicrobial compounds are used in cartridges, then stability and storage conditions are improved, but cross-contamination risk increases due to single-organism design
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge design enables a single cartridge to be used for testing multiple different microorganisms by maintaining the same antimicrobial concentrations across all reservoirs. This universal design allows the same physical cartridge to serve multiple testing purposes, eliminating the need for separate cartridges for each organism while preserving antimicrobial stability through dried storage.
3Ease of manufacture
If preset cartridge layouts are used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but flexibility to explore new drug concentrations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic cartridge design where the layout and concentration ranges can be adjusted based on testing requirements. The system allows customization of antimicrobial concentrations and arrangements to accommodate new drugs and emerging resistance patterns, while maintaining a standardized base structure for manufacturing efficiency.
4Productivity
If more reservoirs are added per cartridge, then testing capacity increases, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple testing functions into a single integrated cartridge by combining multiple antimicrobials and concentrations in one device. This consolidation achieves high testing throughput without proportionally increasing complexity, as the additional reservoirs share common structural and operational features with traditional cartridges.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides, among other things, cartridges for multiplexed antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), single cartridges useful for both AST and quality control of AST, and systems and methods relating thereto.