CPK Now: a quick blood test for muscle and heart health
Official title: A point of care-device for the determination of creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), theCPK Now
Funded at Analytical Diagnostic Solutions, INC. · NIH-11253099 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, easy-to-use blood test that quickly measures CPK to help people with muscle, heart, or metabolic conditions notice muscle injury or metabolic crisis earlier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Analytical Diagnostic Solutions, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Mount Laurel, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $906,002 |
| NIH project number | 2R44HD114325-02A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11253099 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with metabolic muscle disorders (like LCFAODs), a history of rhabdomyolysis, muscular dystrophy, inflammatory myopathies, or recent suspected heart or muscle injury who need frequent CPK monitoring.
✕Less likely to help
People whose conditions do not change CPK levels or for whom CPK measurements do not affect management (for example some neuropathies) are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
This project will develop a handheld point-of-care device that uses a drop of blood to measure CPK activity quickly. The developers will adapt their platform, run lab validations with clinical blood samples, and test the device in real-world clinic or home-like settings to make sure results are accurate and easy to use. The aim is to give people with long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders, muscular dystrophy, recurrent rhabdomyolysis, or heart/muscle injury a tool to monitor muscle damage and guide hydration, diet, activity, or when to seek medical care. If the device works reliably, it could make home monitoring practical and reduce emergency visits and hospital days.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let patients detect muscle damage or metabolic decompensation sooner and prompt earlier self-care or medical treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Standard laboratory CPK tests are well established, but accurate home or point-of-care CPK devices are uncommon, so this approach is relatively novel though analogous rapid biomarker tests have succeeded.
Where this research is happening
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Analytical Diagnostic Solutions, INC.
Mount Laurel, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harper, Robert — Analytical Diagnostic Solutions, INC.
- Study coordinator: Harper, Robert
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.