# Rapid and non-invasive device for drug detection through sweat

> **NIH NIH R43** · ARBORSENSE, INC. · 2020 · $252,062

## Abstract

Project Summary
In this NIDA SBIR Phase I project, Arborsense will develop a portable sweat-based screening device for rapid,
non-invasive, point-of-need, and quantitative detection of drugs of abuse. The use and abuse of potentially-
addictive substances has become a national crisis with immense social (>67,000 deaths every year) and
economic costs (~$200B annually). Consequently, regular drug-use testing and monitoring have become key
components of the management strategies to control this epidemic. Within most settings whether clinical,
roadside tests, workplace monitoring, or court-ordered compliance, having reliable and timely data on drug use
is essential. However, the available strategies to detect drug use which rely on testing blood, urine, saliva, hair,
breath, and sweat, are plagued by cumbersome collection methods and significant delays in receiving test
results, thus hampering the ability to provide up-to-date objective data on recent drug use. In this project,
Arborsense proposes to develop a sweat-based portable and inexpensive drug detection device using our
technology based on microfluidic competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay where sweat will be collected
on the front panel and quantitative results will be available within a few minutes. In preliminary studies, we have
demonstrated rapid and quantitative detection of drugs/opioids in artificial sweat. For this Phase I study,
Arborsense will collaborate with the University of Michigan to develop and validate our portable sweat-based
drug detector. First, we will design, test, optimize and automate a miniaturized drug detection unit integrated with
sweat generation and collection modules. Next, we will validate the device and protocol on 20 human participants
who are seeking treatment for a drug use disorder and benchmark the results with urine drug screens and self-
reported data. A high degree of concordance between Arborsense’s device, urine test, and self-reported data
will confirm the feasibility of our proposed project, and will lead to a Phase II SBIR application to optimize the
device for field use which can then be evaluated in large scale clinical studies. Our envisioned product will
address the unmet need for a non-invasive, real-time, quantitative, point-of-use, and convenient device for rapid
detection of use/abuse of multiple drugs. Such a device has applications related to all points along the spectrum
of severity of drug use problems and will help augment prevention and treatment strategies, enhance health,
and reduce illness and disability.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10137820
- **Project number:** 1R43DA052941-01
- **Recipient organization:** ARBORSENSE, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Girish Kulkarni
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $252,062
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10137820

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10137820, Rapid and non-invasive device for drug detection through sweat (1R43DA052941-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10137820. Licensed CC0.

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