International collaborative study of assay of anti-D (anti-Rh) immunoglobulin

An international collaborative study of anti-D assays has been carried out by 21 laboratories in 11 countries. Samples of anti-D immunoglobulin assayed in this study included two dilutions of a preparation used in clinical trials to determine a dose-protection relation, a national standard, commercial clinical preparations and the proposed international reference preparation in coded ampoules. Manual, automated haemagglutination and isotope labelling methods all gave similar relative potencies. Several of these estimates were significantly (P=0.95) heterogeneous and some modifications to improve assay design and procedure are suggested. The coded preparation was shown to be stable and suitable for comparative assays. It was estimated to contain 60 microgram of of anti-D IgG immunoglobulin per ampoule, and 150 i.u./ampoule when assayed against the International Standard for Incomplete Anti-D Blood Typing Serum. Thus for this preparation 1 microgram of IgG anti-D immunoglobulin identical to 2.5 i.u. anti-D antibody. At its 28th meeting the Expert Committee on Biological Standardization of WHO established the preparation 68/419 as the International Reference Preparation of Anti-D Immunoglobulin and assigned to it a potency of 150 i.u. per ampoule. The Preparation has been widely used (with a nominal content of 60 microgram of IgG anti-D immunoglobulin) for control of clinical preparations.