CPK Now: a quick blood test for muscle and heart health

A point of care-device for the determination of creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), theCPK Now

NIH-funded research Analytical Diagnostic Solutions, INC. · NIH-11253099

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 typeSbir 2 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionAnalytical Diagnostic Solutions, INC. NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Mount Laurel, United States)
Project IDNIH-11253099 on NIH RePORTER

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.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: 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.

Not a fit: 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.

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 performed: 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

Mount Laurel, 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.