Press release Tests prove Sona’s gold nanorods “perfectly suited” for competitive lateral flow assays Sona Nanotech’s unique gold nanorods are perfectly suited for use in competitive lateral flow assays, a new report reveals. A white paper, published by Sona Nanotech today, demonstrates that:

• Sona’s nanorods can be successfully used in a displacement assay
• Traditional spherical gold colloid and Sona’s gold nanorods can be combined in the same assay system
• Two different coloured gold nanorods can be combined in one assay system

The paper details an experiment carried out using a lateral flow test to detect delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal psychoactive cannabinoid of the cannabis plant, in saliva. Current tests generally use gold nanospheres to generate the detection and control zone signals, but in this study Sona’s gold nanorods with two different colours – red and blue – were used. The nanorods were successfully conjugated to anti-THC and IgY antibodies, and the resulting conjugates were able to be used in a lateral flow test to provide a test with different coloured capture and control lines. The nanorods could also be used in conjunction with gold nanospheres, with no interaction between the two different particle types being seen. This shows Sona’s gold nanorods can be incorporated into existing on-market lateral flow tests utilising gold nanospheres. The conjugates were also able to be detected using a reader system, allowing for the potential of low-cost, on-site testing. It was also shown that the nanorods could be combined with traditional gold nanospheres in a lateral flow format, increasing the possible range of their application in lateral flow testing. Sona CEO Darren Rowles said: “We have always known that our unique gold nanorods are ideal for competitive lateral flow assays, and now we have the scientific evidence. “Lateral flow test developers are looking to take the performance of their tests to the next level and increasingly want their tests to be multiplexed and quantified. This white paper demonstrates that Sona Nanotech’s nanorods are perfectly suited for these purposes. “They say seeing is believing, and I look forward to sharing our findings with the sector and showing how our nanorods can power the next generation of lateral flow tests.”

• To download a copy of the white paper, click here.