# PA21259, SBIR, Phase I, Aptamer-upconverting nanocrystal conjugate lateral flow assay for immediate Ebola virus detection

> **NIH ALLCDC R43** · APTALOGIC, INC · 2022 · $264,271

## Abstract

Ebola virus, listed under Category A priority pathogen by NIAID, is one of the most deadly viruses
with a mortality rate of 50-90% in humans. Early detection of Ebola virus infection can save thousands
of lives by enabling isolation of infected individuals from susceptible ones. Currently the available
diagnoses can only detect Ebola infection after the onset of symptoms which typically takes place
within 14-21 days of viral exposure. This time lag in diagnosis facilitates viral outbreak and is an
obstacle for infection control efforts. Additionally, the available point of care (POC) diagnosis gives
qualitative results, visually confirmed by two independent readers and in case of disagreement a third
reader is required. Cold chain support is also required for their transport and storage which is often
difficult to arrange in remote areas where the viral outbreaks occur. Therefore, the limitations of the
current diagnosis costs valuable lives and calls for advancement in the method of diagnosis.
 Our goal is to develop a user-friendly and cost-effective portable device for reliable immediate
detection of Ebola viruses at POC. For that purpose, we have chosen the Ebola virus soluble
glycoprotein (sGP) as the biomarker, which is secreted in the host blood at a concentration of 137
ng/ml within 3 days of exposure. The innovation of our proposal lies in the combination of aptamer
technology with up-converting phosphors (UCPs) to develop a lateral flow (LF) assay sensor.
Aptamers are nucleic acids that bind their targets avidly and specifically and are selected in vitro by
Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX). For biosensor development,
aptamers have many advantages over antibodies, including their smaller size, ready and inexpensive
synthesis, reliable production, amenability to chemical synthesis and modifications, adaptability to a
broad range of assay format, and long-term stability at room temperature. Conjugation of aptamers
with UCPs is also expected to lower background fluorescence signal, which will enhance the sensitivity
of the proposed LF assay. In phase I, we will optimize the sensor resolution and sensitivity, deploying
our developed DNA aptamers against sGP in human serum.
 If successful, our prototype will have an immense impact on the current diagnostic research by
combining the robustness of aptamers with the sensitivity of UCPs and the operational ease of LF
assays. Specifically, we will improve existing diagnostic method by offering: 1. Immediate detection:
the presence of Ebola will be detected from the infected serum within 3 days of exposure in contrast
to the current detection around 14-21 days of exposure. 2. Longer shelf life will be imparted without
the need of cold chain support by the robustness of aptamers and 3: Low cost will also be imparted
as the aptamers are more cost effective and more reliably produced compared to antibodies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10547116
- **Project number:** 1R43CK000697-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** APTALOGIC, INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Soma Banerjee
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $264,271
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-30 → 2024-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10547116

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10547116, PA21259, SBIR, Phase I, Aptamer-upconverting nanocrystal conjugate lateral flow assay for immediate Ebola virus detection (1R43CK000697-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10547116. Licensed CC0.

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