Shelf-Stable Nucleic Acid Synthesis Reagents for Field-Deployable Diagnostics
SBIR Opportunity Analysis
The Department of Defense’s Chemical and Biological Defense Program is seeking novel shelf-stable nucleic acid synthesis reagents to support rapid diagnostic test development in far-forward, expeditionary environments. The work calls for reagents that can be used in nucleic acid synthesizers to produce high-quality oligonucleotides, with Phase I focused on feasibility and Phase II on formulation optimization, scale-up, and a pre-production prototype kit for a commercially available synthesizer. Key requirements include room-temperature stability, reliable operation across roughly -20°C to 55°C, at least 12 months of shelf life, performance comparable to current reagents, and improved yield. This SBIR topic, CBD254-010, is pre-release and is scheduled to open on April 15, 2026, with applications due by May 13, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.