Generation of Peptide-Based Ligands for Chemical and Biological Agent Identification

Caldera will use its R&D 100 award-winning Reagentless Pharmacoproteomic Measurement (RPM) technology to develop chemical/biological (C/B) agent taggants for incorporation into a portable read-out device. RPM technology was developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory and licensed to Caldera. We propose: (1) to generate selective peptide-based capture agent molecules which form highly specific complexes with C/B agents, thereby eliminating the false positive problems that plague current sensors, (2) to develop the ability to “report” binding events, and (3) to produce a prototype sensor device. RPM offers direct chemical measurement of analyte-ligand binding affinity and analyte-ligand selectivity. Caldera will incorporate reporter functional groups into these ligands, to provide for optical reading of C/B agent presence and concentration. We offer a highly novel approach for the generation of non-antibody, peptide-based capture agents, performed by a team with proven expertise in developing label-free reporter methodologies and C/B sensors. RPM technology is extremely rapid and adaptable, which are both attributes necessary due the ever-changing threat situation.