# Development of a dengue exposure monitor

> **NIH NIH R43** · LYNNTECH, INC. · 2020 · $244,402

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Approximately 40% of the world’s population, 2.5 billion people, are at risk of contracting dengue fever. The
disease is endemic to tropical regions in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. Outbreaks have also
occurred in the southern portions of the United States, including Florida and Texas, as well as the Hawiian
islands.The FDA has approved a single vaccine against dengue. Both safety and efficacy of the vaccine
depend on whether or not the recipient has been previously exposed to the dengue virus.
The potential for severe dengue disease in seronegative individuals receiving the vaccination (especially for
children ages 2-4) underscores the need for a field-deployable device to determine if individuals have
previously been infected by the dengue virus. There is a concern that a universal vaccination program could
have deleterious effects on populations living in regions where infection is the norm. Thus, a rapid, economical,
point-of-care (POC) assay to determine if an individual has been exposed to the virus will be significant. Data
from this assay will assist the medical community in establishing an anti-dengue vaccination protocol.
Lynntech proposes to develop a portable, highly sensitive, and highly specifc diagnostic that is capable of
detecting anti-dengue antibodies in human samples. Anti-dengue antibodies will be specifically recognized
and captured by high affinity ligands, resulting in the generation of an electrochemical signal reflecting pre-
exposure to the dengue virus. The Lynntech system will offer a straightforward, POC means to assess the
serological profile of individuals with respect to their previous exposure to the dengue virus. The global need
for such an assay bolsters market potential for the Lynntech product.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10079069
- **Project number:** 1R43AI155067-01
- **Recipient organization:** LYNNTECH, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN E MUELLER
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $244,402
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2021-10-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10079069

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10079069, Development of a dengue exposure monitor (1R43AI155067-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10079069. Licensed CC0.

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