Erythropoietin (or EPO for short) is an endogenous hormone which supports the growth of red blood cells. If an adequate amount of EPO is applied, it will intensify the creation of red blood cells and will consequently enhance the transport of oxygen. Therefore it is used as a doping substance in endurance sports. Meanwhile a multitude of EPO preparations is on the market which could not be determined using a single method with sufficient detectability.
Seibersdorf developed a method (“SAR-PAGE”) which now permits to determine ALL modifications with the highest sensitivity.