One-Step, Rapid, Low-Cost Definitive Drug Testing at the Point of Need
NIH Challenges seeks rapid, low-cost, one-step drug testing devices able to definitively detect and quantify multiple drugs, including fentanyl, from diverse samples in under 15 minutes.
Funder: NIH Challenges
Due Dates: December 15, 2026 (Phase 1 Submission Deadline) | May 18, 2027 (Phase 2 Submission Deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $600,000 total; Phase 1: up to 5 awards of $20,000 each; Phase 2: up to 3 awards ($250,000, $150,000, $100,000).
Summary: Supports the development of rapid, low-cost, definitive drug testing devices for field and laboratory use, delivering accurate results in under 15 minutes.
Key Information: Only Phase 1 winners are eligible for Phase 2; U.S. citizenship/residency or U.S.-based entity required for monetary eligibility.
Description
This NIH Challenge, led by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), seeks innovative prototypes for one-step, rapid, and low-cost devices that can definitively detect and quantify drugs of abuse—including emerging threats like fentanyl—across varied sample types (blood, urine, saliva, etc.). The goal is to replace the current two-step testing process with a single test that matches the sensitivity and specificity of advanced chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques, but at a fraction of the cost and turnaround time. Devices should deliver results in under 15 minutes, be easily updatable for new substances, and rely on detection of physical properties rather than affinity-based reactions. The challenge is designed to accelerate the development of accessible, scalable, and scientifically robust drug testing technologies for both laboratory and field settings.
