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R44AI162527

Project Grant

Overview

Grant Description
Early and Accurate Diagnosis of Pulmonary and Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis in All Patient Groups Using a Circulating Pathogen-Derived Antigen - Project Summary

Nanopin is advancing a diagnostic for active tuberculosis (TB) that addresses critical unmet clinical needs. Its innovation and potential patient impact have resulted in designation as a breakthrough device by the FDA. This device will be highly valuable in the global effort to combat TB, which is now the leading cause of death from infectious disease, with an estimated 10.0 million new TB cases and 1.5 million TB-related deaths annually.

Key unmet needs for TB diagnosis include a rapid test that is both culture-free and non-sputum-based, is actionable and informative especially in countries with high latent TB rates, can accurately detect both pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB, and can detect across the entire patient spectrum including young children and HIV-coinfected patients.

Nanopin's highly sensitive diagnostic platform rapidly detects species-specific TB antigens directly from blood samples. Their technology is differentiated from all current methods in that they can detect TB no matter where it is in the body and whose body it is in. They can detect TB based in the lungs, kidneys, brain, and throughout the body, even when the current "gold standard" cannot. They can detect in difficult cohorts including young children and even infants and HIV co-infected, all of which are poorly served in the market and where conventional sputum methods are not feasible. Ultimately, this technology will enable healthcare providers to finally mitigate the enduring TB epidemic.

The outcomes of successful completion of this proposal will introduce Nanopin's TB diagnostic device into the market and make it available for routine use in clinics and hospitals by evaluating its performance in a well-structured clinical study in multiple high-profile medical centers.

They propose four specific aims:

1) To perform analytical validation of the NanoTB assay kit and multiple LC-MS platforms. Prior to initiating clinical studies, they will determine key quantitative values for the TB assay kits including LOD, LOQ, and cut-values per CLSI C62-A. They will establish multiple LC-MS platforms for clinical studies and regulatory approval, which will further their commercialization reach.

2) To perform clinical studies for detection of active TB with NanoTB diagnostic assay kits. The clinical studies proposed in this aim will be the basis for a 510K application to the FDA for regulatory approval and marketing of the NanoDetect-TB device. The studies will enroll patients suspected of TB disease and analyze with their TB assay and the primary AFB-culture reference method.

3) To communicate with the FDA for guidance for clinical studies and 510K submission. Interactions with the FDA will guide the efficient and successful implementation of the proposed work. The outcome of this aim is the FDA clearance of the NanoDetect-TB device via the de novo pathway.

4) To extend clinical studies for pediatric-centric and resource-limited focus. They will further evaluate the critical pediatric cohort and address challenges for sample collection and handling shipping in resource-limited regions in order to ensure their application can be extended to all patients.
Funding Goals
TO ASSIST PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO ESTABLISH, EXPAND AND IMPROVE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND RELATED AREAS, TO CONDUCT DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH, TO PRODUCE AND TEST RESEARCH MATERIALS. TO ASSIST PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND COMMERCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO CONDUCT DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH, TO PRODUCE AND TEST RESEARCH MATERIALS, TO PROVIDE RESEARCH SERVICES AS REQUIRED BY THE AGENCY FOR PROGRAMS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES, AND CONTROLLING DISEASE CAUSED BY INFECTIOUS OR PARASITIC AGENTS, ALLERGIC AND IMMUNOLOGIC DISEASES AND RELATED AREAS. PROJECTS RANGE FROM STUDIES OF MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANTIGENIC STRUCTURE TO COLLABORATIVE TRIALS OF EXPERIMENTAL DRUGS AND VACCINES, MECHANISMS OF RESISTANCE TO ANTIBIOTICS AS WELL AS RESEARCH DEALING WITH EPIDEMIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS OR COMMUNITY POPULATIONS AND PROGRESS IN ALLERGIC AND IMMUNOLOGIC DISEASES. BECAUSE OF THIS DUAL FOCUS, THE PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES BOTH BASIC RESEARCH AND CLINICAL RESEARCH. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM EXPANDS AND IMPROVES PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. THE SBIR PROGRAM INTENDS TO INCREASE AND FACILITATE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM STIMULATES AND FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARDS SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTISTS DURING THE FORMATIVE STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS. INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS (NRSAS) ARE MADE DIRECTLY TO APPROVE APPLICANTS FOR RESEARCH TRAINING IN SPECIFIED BIOMEDICAL SHORTAGE AREAS. IN ADDITION, INSTITUTIONAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS ARE MADE TO ENABLE INSTITUTIONS TO SELECT AND MAKE AWARDS TO INDIVIDUALS TO RECEIVE TRAINING UNDER THE AEGIS OF THEIR INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAM.
Place of Performance
Louisiana United States
Geographic Scope
State-Wide
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 07/31/24 to 04/30/26 and the total obligations have increased 169% from $1,000,000 to $2,685,056.
Nanopin Technologies was awarded Project Grant R44AI162527 worth $2,685,056 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in August 2021 with work to be completed primarily in Louisiana United States. The grant has a duration of 4 years 8 months and was awarded through assistance program 93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research. The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity PHS 2020-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Not Allowed).

SBIR Details

Research Type
SBIR Phase II
Title
Early and accurate diagnosis of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in all patient groups using a circulating pathogen-derived antigen
Abstract
PROJECT SUMMARYNanoPin is advancing a diagnostic for active tuberculosis (TB) that addresses critical unmet clinical needs and its innovation and potential patient impact has resulted in designation as a breakthrough device by the FDA. This device will highly valuable in the global effort to combat TB, which is now the leading cause of death from infectious disease, with an estimated 10.0 million new TB cases and 1.5 million TB-related deaths annually. Key unmet needs for TB diagnosis include a rapid test that is both culture-free and non-sputum-based, is actionable and informative especially in countries with high latent TB rates, can accurately detect both pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB, and can detect across the entire patient spectrum including young children and HIV- coinfected patients. NanoPin’s highly sensitive diagnostic platform rapidly detects species-specific TB antigens directly from blood samples. Our technology is differentiated from all current methods in that we can detect TB no matter where it is in the body and whose body it is in. We can detect TB based in the lungs, kidneys, brain and throughout the body, even when the current “gold standard” cannot. We can detect in difficult cohorts including young children and even infants and HIV co-infected, all of which are poorly served in the market and where conventional sputum methods are not feasible. Ultimately, this technology will enable health care providers to finally mitigate the enduring TB epidemic.The outcomes of successful completion of this proposal will introduce our TB diagnostic device into the market and make it available for routine use in clinics and hospitals by evaluating its performance in a well- structured clinical study in multiple high profile medical centers. We propose four specific aims: 1). To perform analytical validation of the NanoTB Assay Kit and Multiple LC-MS Platforms. Prior to initiating clinical studies, we will determine key quantitative values for the TB assay kits including LoD, LoQ, and cut-values per CLSI C62- A. We will establish multiple LC-MS platforms for clinical studies and regulatory approval which will further our commercialization reach; 2). To perform clinical studies for detection of active TB with NanoTB diagnostic assay kits. The clinical studies proposed in this aim will be the basis for 510k application to the FDA for regulatory approval and marketing of the NanoDetect-TB device. The studies will enroll patients suspected of TB disease and analyze with our TB assay and the primary AFB-culture reference method; 3). To communicate with the FDA for guidance for clinical studies and 510k submission. Interactions with the FDA will guide the efficient and successful implementation of the proposed work. The outcome of this aim is the FDA clearance of the NanoDetectTB device via the De Novo pathway; and 4). To extend clinical studies for pediatric centric and resource limited focus. We will further evaluate the critical pediatric cohort and address challenges for sample collection and handling shipping in resource limited regions in order to ensure our application can be extended to all patients.PROJECT NARRATIVE Global efforts to effectively mitigate the ongoing global tuberculosis (TB) health epidemic are constrained by current diagnostics, which are only partially useful and do not effectively enable health care providers to accurately diagnose all TB cases, resulting in critical unmet clinical need for improved assay methods. NanoPin’s TB assay is a rapid blood test for active TB, which has been designated a breakthrough device by the FDA, since it permits early TB detection, and has high diagnostic sensitivity and selectivity for pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB cases in all patient groups, including the most vulnerable groups (young children and individuals of all ages living with HIV). The studies outlined in this proposal are designed to verify the performance of this device in well-designed clinical studies required for regulatory approval by the FDA prior to introduction to the global healthcare market.
Topic Code
NIAID
Solicitation Number
PA20-260

Status
(Ongoing)

Last Modified 8/6/25

Period of Performance
8/25/21
Start Date
4/30/26
End Date
88.0% Complete

Funding Split
$2.7M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$2.7M
Total Obligated
100.0% Federal Funding
0.0% Non-Federal Funding

Activity Timeline

Interactive chart of timeline of amendments to R44AI162527

Transaction History

Modifications to R44AI162527

Additional Detail

Award ID FAIN
R44AI162527
SAI Number
R44AI162527-2838704001
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
75NM00 NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Funding Office
75NM00 NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Awardee UEI
HA93BXSSVRW5
Awardee CAGE
84GQ4
Performance District
LA-90
Senators
Bill Cassidy
John Kennedy

Budget Funding

Federal Account Budget Subfunction Object Class Total Percentage
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0885) Health research and training Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) $1,685,056 100%
Modified: 8/6/25