Advance Live Animal Tests for the Early Detection of Chronic Wasting Disease

Sensis, on behalf of The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), is hosting the Detect to Protect Challenge: A Live Animal Test for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The challenge invites innovators to submit their idea for a diagnostic test for the early detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in a live animal, prior to clinical signs. Our goal is to inspire the innovative development of a novel diagnostic test that will successfully detect CWD in samples provided by USDA for this challenge. Competitive solutions to this challenge shall consist of novel diagnostic tests that are sensitive and specific for CWD, producing timely and repeatable results on samples easily obtained from live deer. Competitive solutions will also be cost-effective and readily manufacturable. The ideal solutions to this challenge are diagnostic tests that would be eligible for approval as an official Chronic Wasting Disease test by the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA. Sensis will award prizes valued up to $170,000. The Detect to Protect Challenge: A Live Animal Test is calling upon innovators and scientists,  researchers, and/or startup companies to submit their proposal for developing a novel diagnostic test for the early detection of CWD in a live animal, prior to clinical signs.

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