I-Corps: Developing the Value Proposition for the Rapid Detection and Classification of Designer Drugs

I-Corps团队提出了一种便携式电化学检测设备，可以快速检测毒品。执法机构和医疗设施使用低成本试剂测试，在现场迅速发现可疑的麻醉品。然而，这些检测缺乏分子特异性，容易出现假阳性。此外，试剂测试只能检测有限类别的麻醉品，不足以常规检测设计和处方药物。因此，便携式电化学检测设备背后的动机是为执法机构创造一种廉价的化学传感器，以重复和准确地检测多种类型的药物。几十年来，电化学技术已经在实验室中用于检测化学物质和生物制剂。用于电化学检测的传统便携式仪器昂贵、笨重且需要特殊技能。I-Corps团队提出的便携式电化学检测设备解决了上述挑战，将廉价的传感器放在易于使用的紧凑便携容器中。该装置预计将影响许多领域，包括农产品和精细化工产品和中间体的质量控制监测。本文介绍的电化学装置利用纸基电极和精心设计的通道，使可疑药物从基质中分离出来。药物根据其物理性质沿着通道中的层流迁移，直到到达电极的检测区域。检测区域有三个导电油墨/糊基电极，用于药物的安培测量。I-Corp团队打算对便携式电化学检测设备的商业化潜力进行产品市场分析。与潜在客户的直接对话将有助于加深对每个行业的了解。实验室之外常规化学分析的痛点。参与还将帮助I-Corp团队明确技术的发展方向，如产品开发问题，以满足已确定的特定市场需求。

The I-Corps team presents a portable electrochemical detection device that can rapidly detect narcotics. Law enforcement agencies and medical treatment facilities use low-cost reagent tests to rapidly detect suspected narcotics in the field. However, these tests lack molecular specificity and are prone to false positives. Additionally, the reagent tests can only detect a limited class of narcotics and are not adequate for the routine detection of designer and prescription drugs. Therefore, the motivation behind the portable electrochemical detection device was to create an inexpensive chemical sensor for law enforcement agencies to reproducibly and accurately detect multiple classes of drugs. Electrochemical techniques have been used for decades in laboratories to detect chemicals and biological agents. The conventional and portable instrumentation used for electrochemical detection is expensive, cumbersome and require special skills. The portable electrochemical detection device presented by this I-Corps team addresses the above challenges by using inexpensive sensors in a compact and portable container that is easy to use. This device is expected to impact many fields including quality control monitoring of agriculture produce and fine chemical products and intermediates.The electrochemical device presented here utilizes a paper-based electrode with carefully engineered channels to allow separation of the suspected drug from the matrix. The drug migrates along laminar flow in the channels based on their physical properties until it reaches the detection area of the electrode. The detection area has three conductive-ink/paste-based electrodes that are used for the amperometric measurement of the drug. The I-Corp team intends to perform a product-market analysis for the commercialization potential of the portable electrochemical detection device. Direct conversations with prospective customers will allow for greater understanding of each industrial sector?s pain points for routine chemical analysis outside of the laboratory. Participation will also help the I-Corp team clarify the direction the technology can take going forward such as product development issues to meet identified specific market needs.