International collaborative study to evaluate a recombinant L ferritin preparation as an International Standard.

A recombinant L ferritin preparation, lyophilized in ampoules and designated 94/572, was evaluated by 18 laboratories in 9 countries for its suitability as an International Standard (IS). The preparation was assayed in a wide range of in-house and commercial immunoassays against the 2nd IS for ferritin (of spleen origin; 80/578). The immunological reactivity of the recombinant material was similar to that of the 2nd IS for ferritin in the majority of assays and demonstrated adequate stability in accelerated degradation studies. On the basis of the results presented here, the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization established 94/572 as the 3rd IS for ferritin, recombinant.