5-minute bedside test to check blood thinner activity and hemoglobin
Official title: 5-Minute Point-of-Care Anti-Factor Xa Test for Emergent Patient Management
Funded at DNA Medicine Institute · NIH-11184232 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will make a 5-minute bedside test that checks factor Xa blood-thinner activity and hemoglobin for people on DOACs so emergency teams can treat bleeding or stroke faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | DNA Medicine Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 10, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,007,678 |
| NIH project number | 5R44HL170817-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11184232 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people taking factor Xa direct oral anticoagulants (for example apixaban or rivaroxaban) who present to emergency care with major bleeding or suspected acute ischemic stroke.
✕Less likely to help
People not on factor Xa anticoagulants (for example those on warfarin or the direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran), or those not treated at participating emergency/hospital sites, are unlikely to benefit from this test.
What this research studies
If you're taking a factor Xa blood thinner and come to the ER with bleeding or a stroke, doctors need to know quickly whether the drug is active. The team is building a small cartridge and app-connected device that uses a fluorogenic substrate to measure anti‑Xa activity and hemoglobin from a tiny blood sample in about five minutes. The goal is a CLIA-waivable, point-of-care test that delivers results far faster than central lab tests to guide use of reversal drug (andexanet alfa) or thrombolytics. Developers will refine the microfluidic cartridge, compare results to standard lab anti‑Xa assays, and test the device in clinical settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Patients could get much faster, actionable information to guide life‑saving decisions like giving a reversal drug or clot‑busting treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Standard laboratory anti‑Xa assays already work but are slow; a rapid 5‑minute multiplexed bedside anti‑Xa plus hemoglobin test is novel and has not yet been proven in clinical trials.
Where this research is happening
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DNA Medicine Institute
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chan, Eugene Yan-Ho — DNA Medicine Institute
- Study coordinator: Chan, Eugene Yan-Ho
Related research
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Hemophilia: a bedside monitor and app to track FVIII and emicizumab
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A quick test for managing bleeding and strokes in patients on blood thinners
This study is working on a quick 5-minute test that helps doctors check the blood levels of patients taking certain blood thinners, so they can make fast and better treatment decisions during emergencies like bleeding or strokes.
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A quick test for managing bleeding and strokes in patients on blood thinners.
This study is working on a quick test that can check your blood levels if you're taking certain blood thinners, helping doctors make fast decisions during emergencies like bleeding or strokes.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.