Aim:　Our　study　aimed　to　improve　the　p24　antigen　assay,　which　is　a　well-established　and　widely　adopted　method　for　the　early　detection　of　HIV-1　infections,　in　order　to　increase　its　sensitivity　and　efficiency　and　reduce　its　cost　if　possible.　Materials　&　methods:　We　tested　HIV-1　standard　p24-positive　samples　and　an　HIV-1　p24　antigen　panel　using　a　new　luminol-based　chemiluminescence　immunoassay　(CLIA)　based　on　a　typical　sandwich＇　p24　ELISA　with　two　antibodies,　but　utilizing　luminol　as　the　luminescence　compound,　which　is　oxidized　by　hydrogen　peroxide　in　the　presence　of　horseradish　peroxidase　in　an　alkaline　environment.　A　standard　curve　for　the　p24　antigen　CLIA　was　generated　and　fitted　a　third-order　polynomial　regression　model　very　well.　To　quantify　p24　antigen,　we　investigated　the　linear　standard　curve　fitting　by　measuring　and　comparing　the　effective　assay　range,　r(2)　value　and　error　of　each　function.　Results:　The　p24　antigen　CLIA　showed　a　detection　limit　of　0.5　pg/ml　and　a　detection　range　of　0.5-5　x　10(3)　pg/ml.　The　specificity　and　sensitivity　of　this　assay　were　further　evaluated,　and　were　both　found　to　be　100%　for　the　HIV-1　p24　antigen　panel.　The　luminescence　reaction　of　the　CLIA　p24　assay　takes　only　2　min　to　perform,　which　greatly　reduced　the　diagnosis　time.　Additionally,　the　CLIA　p24　assay　is　as　affordable　as　the　normal　ELISA　method.　Conclusion:　In　our　studies,　the　p24　antigen　CLIA　shows　improved　sensitivity,　a　wider　range　of　response　and　was　less　time-consuming　than　ELISA,　as　traditional　ELISA　uses　chromogen　or　a　substrate　that　changes　color　when　cleaved　by　the　enzyme　attached　to　a　second　antibody.　This　seems　to　be　an　easy　and　affordable　method　for　the　diagnosis　of　HIV-1　infection　and　monitoring　of　disease　progression　in　developing　countries.　Although　more　advantages　have　been　seen　in　CLIA　than　in　ELISA,　additional　studies　are　still　needed　to　confirm　this.