Sapphiros Awarded $11M from NIH RADx® Tech to Develop a Next-generation Molecular OTC Test

BOSTON, April 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Sapphiros, a platform company dedicated to building the next generation of consumer diagnostic technologies, is proud to announce it has been selected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx^®) Tech program to develop a high performance, over-the-counter (OTC), molecular multiplex respiratory diagnostic test that can rapidly detect RSV, influenza A, influenza B and COVID-19 in a single test. 

Sapphiros has been awarded $11.1M to deliver the initial program of work, which combines proprietary isothermal molecular chemistries and proprietary high-volume, reel-to-reel conductive ink, printed electronics, and sensing technologies. These features are designed to deliver low-cost, easy-to-use, and rapidly deployable diagnostic tests. Upon successful completion of this initial program of work, Sapphiros will explore additional support and funding. 

 "This is a significant milestone for our company and further validates Sapphiros' unique and transformational technologies which, when combined, create one of the most innovative diagnostics products. We are honored to play an important role in developing a platform that will have an immediate impact on improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs, while enabling rapid response to future biosecurity threats and pandemics," said Mark Gladwell, CEO of Sapphiros. 

This project has been funded in part with Federal funds from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. 75N92023D00001. 

About Sapphiros

Sapphiros, backed by KKR and Neoenta, is a privately held consumer diagnostics company. Sapphiros's portfolio of capabilities and technologies includes novel sample collection, next generation diagnostics, computational biology, and printed electronics, which help consumers access important diagnostic results globally. Knowing Now Moves Us™

For more information, contact Sapphiros at press@sapphiros.com.

About RADx

The RADx^® Tech/ATP programs are components of the overarching RADx Initiative at NIH to speed innovation in the development, commercialization, and implementation of technologies for COVID-19 testing. The RADx Tech/ATP innovation funnel was designed to compress the customary technology development timeline from years down to just months. This was accomplished by employing, in parallel, expert teams to address technical, regulatory, clinical, and commercialization requirements. Launched on April 29, 2020, the RADx programs were able to validate, de-risk, scale up, manufacture, and deploy novel tests through a seamless pipeline by fall 2020.

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