Never too small: immunochromatographic nanobody assay for rapid detection of interferons

Researchers from the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Peking University and the WHO Collaboration Centre for Biologicals Standardization and Evaluation (all Beijing, China) have developed a novel detection method involving a lateral flow immunochromatography nanobody assay for the rapid detection of recombinant human interferon α2b (rhIFNα2b).  As a natural part of the human defense system, interferons are proteins that can exhibit antiviral activity. Approved by the US FDA in 1986, rhIFNα2b has been utilized as an antiviral agent in the treatment of diseases such as hepatitis B and C. Thus, the protein has been investigated as a diagnostic...