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Abstract

An electrochemical method is provided for successively assessing the efficacy of each of a plurality of candidate compounds by determining the degree to which each compound directly or indirectly affects the rate of a target molecule-catalyzed electrochemical reaction. The method involves successively introducing samples containing candidate compounds into the detection chamber of a flow cell sized to contain up to about 100 .mu.l of liquid, measuring the rate of the target molecule-catalyzed electrochemical reaction, flushing the flow cell with a carrier after each measurement, and determining the efficacy of each candidate compound based on the measured rate of the target molecule-catalyzed electrochemical reaction. The method is useful for detecting very small quantities of potential active agents, on the order of 0.1 pg. Ideally, a nonleachable redox mediator is disposed on the working electrode so as to facilitate transfer of electrons between the target molecule and the working electrode surface. The method may be employed to assess the capability of candidate compounds as enzyme inhibitors or as ligands, e.g., as receptor-binding ligands.

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First Claim