The Binding Site Inc’s Freelite™serum free Kappa and free Lambda light chain assays are now cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration for use on the Bayer Advia^® 1650 analyzer. Serum free light chain assays are used as an aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma, bence jones myeloma, nonsecretory myeloma, and amyloidosis. According to The Binding Site Inc, the assays offer a number of advantages over current electrophoretic assays in that they:
     •    are more sensitive;
     •    are rapid and fully automated;
     •    can replace the need for urine assays;
     •    enable monitoring of intact, light chain myeloma and amyloidosis patients during therapy;
     •    provide an earlier marker of disease remission/therapeutic effectiveness compared to whole immunoglobulin/M spike assays; and
     •    provide an independent risk factor for progression of MGUS to myeloma.
     A recent study showed the detection of lymphocytic and plasma cell proliferative processes increased by 56% when Freelite serum free light chain Kappa/Lambda assays were added to routine capillary zone electrophoresis assays.
     Individual kits are available for serum free Kappa and Lambda light chain assays complete with calibrators, controls, and full parameters for use on the Bayer Advia 1650 analyzer. A worldwide quality-control scheme is available free of charge to users of the Freelite serum free Kappa and Lambda assays. Six samples are distributed per year; and a confidential report, which details laboratory results plus overall and group-method results, is provided for each participating laboratory.
     Full information on Freelite serum free light chain assays is available at www.freelite.co.uk, and a 292-page third edition of the book, Serum Free Light Chain Analysis, by AR Bradwell, PhD, is available from The Binding Site Inc in San Diego. Reprints of recent articles and publications are also available upon request.

The Binding Site Inc
(800) 633-4484; www.thebindingsite.co.uk