Immunoassay for compounds of the NBOMe family

1. An antibody which binds to epitope of Structure (Y)

in which R 1 is selected from the group consisting on a halogen, hydrogen, hydroxyl, C 1-3 alkyl, C 1-3 thioalkyl, C 1-3 alkoxy, perfluoromethyl and nitro; R 3 and R 4 are H and R 2 is methoxy;

wherein the antibody shows a cross-reactivity of 75 to 200% to the epitope of the Structure (Y) and a cross-reactivity of less than 5% to 2-(4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl) ethanamine (2C-I), 2-(4-ethyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanamine (2C-E), 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine (DOB) and 2-(4-bromo-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanamine (2C-B); and

wherein the cross-reactivity is relative to 100% cross-reactivity of the antibody to 2-(4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl] ethanamine (25I-NB)Me).

2. The antibody of claim 1 , which binds to an epitope of at least one of 2-(4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl] ethanamine (25I-NBOMe), 2-(2,5 dimethoxy-4-propylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25P-NBOMe), Mescaline-[(2-methoxvpheny)methy]ethanamine (Mescaline-NBOMe), 2-(4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl] ethanamine (25B-NBOMe), 2-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine (25D-NBOMe), 2-(4-ethyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25E-NBOMe), 2-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25H-NBOMe), 2-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25N-NBOMe), 2-[2,5-dimethoxy-4-(-methylsulfanyl)phenyl]-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25T2-NBOMe), 2-[(4-isopropylsulfanyl)-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl]-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25T4-NBOMe) and 2-[2,5-dimethoxy-4(propylsulfanyl)phenyl]-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25T7-NBOMe).

3. The antibody of claim 1 with an antibody sensitivity of IC50 of 0.2 ng/ml or less for 2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl] ethanamine (25I-NBOMe), 2-(2,5 dimethoxy-4-propylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25P-NBOMe), mescaline-2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine (mescaline-NBOMe), 2 (4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine (25B-NBOMe), dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine (25D-NBOMe), 2-(4-ethyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25E-NBOMe) 2-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25H-NBOMe), 2-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25N-NBOMe), 2-[2,5-dimethoxy-4-(methylsulfanyl)phenyl]-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25T2-NBOMe), 2-[4-isopropylsulfanyl)-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl]-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25T4-NBOMe) and 2-[2,5-dimethoxy-4(propylsulfanyl)phenyl]-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25T7-NBOMe).

4. The antibody of claim 1 further characterized by being derived from an immunogen of structure II

wherein X is a cross-linking group and Y is an antigenicity-conferring carrier.

5. The antibody of claim 4 wherein X is -(A)-(B)n-, where A is O, S or N and B is a C 1-6 substituted or unsubstituted straight chain alkylene or arylene moiety and n is either 0 or 1.

6. The antibody of claim 1 , which binds to an epitope of at least one of 25I-NBOMe, 25P-NBOMe, Mescaline-NBOMe, 25B-NBOMe, 25D-NBOMe, 25E-NBOMe, 25H-NBOMe, 25N-NBOMe, 25T2-NBOMe, 25T4-NBOMe and 25T7-NBOMe.

7. The antibody of claim 1 with an IC50 of 0.2 ng/ml or less for 25I-NBOMe, 25P-NBOMe, Mescaline-NBOMe, 25B-NBOMe, 25D-NBOMe, 25E-NBOMe 25H-NBOMe, 25N-NBOMe, 25T2-NBOMe, 25T4-NBOMe and 25T7-NBOMe.

8. The antibody of claim 1 further characterized by being derived from an immunogen of structure II

wherein X is a cross-linking group and Y is an antigenicity-conferring carrier.

9. A substrate comprising an antibody of one of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 or 8 , wherein optionally the substrate is either a microtitre plate or a biochip.

10. A kit comprising an antibody according to one of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 or 8 , and optionally one or more detecting agents of structure III

in which X is a cross-linking group and Y is a labelling agent which is detectable; and optionally wherein X is -(A)-(B) n1 —, where A is O, S or N and B is a C 1-6 substituted or unsubstituted straight chain alkylene or arylene moiety and n1 is either 0 or 1; wherein, optionally, X is -(A)-(B) n1 —, where A is O, S or N and B is a C 1-6 substituted or unsubstituted straight chain alkylene terminating, before conjugation with the labelling agent, with a terminal reactive group and n1 is either 0 or 1; wherein, further optionally, X is -(A)-(B) n1 —, where A is N and B is a C 1-6 substituted or unsubstituted straight chain alkylene terminating, before conjugation with the labelling agent, with a terminal reactive group and n1 is either 0 or 1.