Biosensor

Abstract

A biosensor having a hollow coil having wires coiled in parallel and an electronic circuit component operably connected to the coil, wherein the wires include at least a first coiled wire which may be used as a counter electrode, a second coiled wire which may be used as a working electrode and a third coiled wire which may be used as a reference electrode, wherein the second coiled wire is provided with a biocompatible layer having a bioreceptor, wherein the electronic circuit component is capable of generating an input signal for a transceiver based upon the activity of the bioreceptor and wirelessly sending the input signal to the transceiver, wherein the electronic circuit component is encapsulated in a biocompatible resin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A biosensor, comprising:
 a hollow coil comprising wires coiled in parallel and an electronic circuit component operably connected to the coil,   wherein the wires include at least a first coiled wire which is used as a counter electrode, a second coiled wire which is used as a working electrode and a third coiled wire which is used as a reference electrode,   wherein the second coiled wire is provided with a biocompatible layer comprising a bioreceptor,   wherein the electronic circuit component is capable of generating an input signal for a transceiver based upon the activity of the bioreceptor and wirelessly sending the input signal to the transceiver and   wherein the electronic circuit component is encapsulated in a biocompatible resin.   
     
     
         2 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the second coiled wire has a Pt surface. 
     
     
         3 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocompatible layer comprising the bioreceptor is electroconductive. 
     
     
         4 . The biosensor according to  claim 3 , wherein the biocompatible layer comprises an electron conductive polymer synthesised from an optionally substituted five-membered heterocycle of formula (I) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  stands for a hetero atom, 
         wherein R 2 , R 3  are each independently selected from the group of: hydrogen; an alkyl that is substituted or unsubstituted, wherein the substituted alkyl is substituted with one or more of a hydroxyl group, alkyl group, and alkyl ether; or an o-alkyl that is substituted or unsubstituted; and wherein R 2  and R 3  either a) forms a ring together with the carbon atoms to which they are connected or b) does not form a ring together with the carbon atoms to which they are connected. 
       
     
     
         5 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the coil is encapsulated in a top layer of a biocompatible material. 
     
     
         6 . The biosensor according to  claim 5 , wherein the biocompatible material is a hydrophilic material. 
     
     
         7 . The biosensor according to  claim 6 , wherein the hydrophilic material is chosen from the group consisting of: a copolymer of a hydrophobic reactive monomer and a hydrophilic reactive monomer; a block co-polymer of polyethers wherein each block differs by at least one carbon in an aliphatic region and a homopolymer of a polysaccharide. 
     
     
         8 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the biocompatible resin is a UV curable medical adhesive. 
     
     
         9 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the third coiled wire is a silver/silver chloride reference electrode. 
     
     
         10 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the wires further include a fourth coiled wire coated with an insulating layer which may be used as an antenna. 
     
     
         11 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the wires further include a fifth coiled wire coated with an insulating layer which may be used as a spacer. 
     
     
         12 . The biosensor according to  claim 10 , wherein the insulating layer is made of parylene; polytetrafluoro ethylene; fluorinated ethylene propylene; perfluroxalkoxy copolymer; polyphenylene sulfide; polyether block amide; polyether ketone; poly amide; polyimide; polyesterimide; polyethylene such as high-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene; polyvinylidene fluoride; or a polyurethane or co-polymers thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , comprising one or more further coiled wires provided with a biocompatible layer comprising a bioreceptor, which may be used as a further working electrode. 
     
     
         14 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the bioreceptor is an oxidoreductase. 
     
     
         15 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the bioreceptor is an oxidoreductase of enzyme commission groups EC 1.X.3 where X=1-17. 
     
     
         16 . The biosensor according to  claim 1 , wherein the bioreceptor is chosen from the group consisting of glucose oxidase, lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate dehydrogenase and pyruvate oxidase, or
 wherein the biosensor has a diameter of 0.1 to 3 mm, or   wherein the biosensor has a length of 5 to 20 mm, or   wherein the electronic circuit component is attached at the end of the coil and the other end of the coil is provided with the biocompatible resin, or   wherein the biosensor is encapsulated in a top layer of a biocompatible material.   
     
     
         17 . A medical device comprising the biosensor according to  claim 1  and a remote receiver. 
     
     
         18 . A process for making the biosensor according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 1) providing the hollow coil,   2) connecting the coil with the electric circuit component and   3) encapsulating the electric circuit component with a biocompatible resin.   
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising the step of: using the medical device of  claim 17  for the measurement of glucose levels in an eye. 
     
     
         20 . A method for diagnosing diabetes by using the biosensor according to  claim 1 .