Chembio Diagnostic Systems Awarded $5.7 Million to Advance DPP® Biothreat Panel

Source: Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., written by Todd Simpson (October 23, 2026). AI-generated summary by biochip.com, published October 26, 2026. Not independently reviewed.

Chembio Diagnostic Systems has received a $5.7 million federal award to develop a rapid test for three pathogens that pose serious public-health and biodefense concerns. The 20-month program will use the company’s Dual Path Platform, or DPP, to build a portable, reader-based test and seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance. The planned test is designed for use near the patient or in field settings, where a faster result could help guide clinical and public-health decisions. It is still under development and is not cleared for commercial use.

Funding for a three-target test

The award is supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, known as BARDA, and administered through the Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle by Advanced Technology International. Chembio, a subsidiary of Biosynex, will use the funding to develop an assay that can detect Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague; Francisella tularensis, which causes tularemia; and Burkholderia pseudomallei, which causes melioidosis.

The proposed test is a multiplex in vitro diagnostic, meaning it is designed to check for multiple targets in one testing process. Chembio plans to pair the assay with its DPP Micro Reader, a portable device that reads the test, provides objective results, and records test data. The company says the program includes work toward FDA clearance, but clearance has not yet been granted.

How the platform fits the plan

DPP is Chembio’s proprietary diagnostic platform. In this project, it is the technology the company will use to develop the three-target assay, rather than simply a piece of equipment used to study the pathogens. The reader is intended to make the result easier to interpret and preserve the test data, including in settings where laboratory resources may be limited.

Chembio says the platform could support later additions to the panel, with further targets based on public-health and biodefense priorities. That is a possible expansion, not part of the three-pathogen panel currently being developed. The new program also builds on earlier BARDA-supported diagnostic development work by Chembio involving Zika virus and COVID-19.

Why this matters

Plague, tularemia, and melioidosis are caused by different bacteria, but all three are identified in the announcement as high-consequence biothreat pathogens. A test designed to detect them at the point of care could give clinicians and public-health teams information without relying on a centralized laboratory for every initial result. The stated aim is to support timely decisions, particularly in field or resource-limited settings.

Chembio President and Chief Science and Technology Officer Javan Esfandiari said the award will support the company’s work on a reader-based rapid diagnostic for these pathogens. Biosynex President Larry Abensur said the parent company would support Chembio’s work on public-health and biodefense needs.

The next step is development and evaluation of the DPP Biothreat Panel under the 20-month program, followed by the company’s effort to obtain FDA clearance. Until that process is complete, the panel remains an investigational product: Chembio says it has not been cleared or approved by the FDA and is not available for commercial use.

Topics: Diagnostics & precision medicine

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