5-minute bedside test to check blood thinner activity and hemoglobin

5-Minute Point-of-Care Anti-Factor Xa Test for Emergent Patient Management

NIH-funded research DNA Medicine Institute · NIH-11184232

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 typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionDNA Medicine Institute NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Cambridge, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11184232 on NIH RePORTER

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.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: 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.

Not a fit: 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.

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 performed: 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

Cambridge, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.