The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Chemical and Biological Defense Division (CBD) is awarding a sole source contract to Rapid Pathogen Screening of Sarasota, Fla. for final development and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) validation of the company’s RPS FebriDx Lateral Flow Assay (LFA).
The work to be performed will involve the continued development, test, evaluation, and final completion of the current prototype assay and will be used in triage for rapidly screening patients infected (symptomatic), as well as provide comfort to those who may believe they potentially have been exposed (symptomatic and asymptomatic) and who may need post-exposure prophylaxis.
“The RPS FebriDx LFA will mitigate the consequence of biological incidents through early detection and complement the government’s “detect-to-treat” approach by providing a new capability to DHS and its stakeholders that not only rapidly and accurately diagnoses patients at the point of care, but buys precious time for the delivery of requisite medical countermeasures,” states the announcement on FedBizOpps.
The services to be provided for this proposed sole source action will also offer a solution for the widespread over use of antibiotics (and the resulting increase in antibiotic resistance), and will significantly mitigate the current costs associated with making an accurate diagnosis so that effective treatment can be administered.
Source: FBO Solicitation JA07314.
