Host-Based Diagnostics for Acute Infections

The US Army is seeking information from industry partners to develop host-based diagnostics for acute infections. The goal is to identify and develop a new generation of host-based tests to diagnose a warfighter's condition, predict clinical outcomes, and direct the optimum therapeutics for maximal disease recovery. The ideal product profile targets products designed to enable rapid diagnostic decision-making in remote laboratories or central clinical laboratories for suspected acute infections. Key features of the desired product include a small size, battery-operable, and operable in tropical humidity and temperature environments, with an assay time of less than 70 minutes and ideally less than 10 minutes. The product should have diagnostic clinical sensitivity and specificity greater than 90%. Some key points of interest include: • Predictive Diagnostics for Infection Complications: Diagnostic assays that are predictive for Sepsis, SIRS, respiratory destabilization, or other acute complications from infections of biowarfare agents. • Diagnostics to assist in Therapeutic Selection and Monitoring: Diagnostics based on host biomarkers that enable precision medicine for the most appropriate treatment. • Mature candidates with a preference for diagnostics at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 or higher.