A point-of-care solution for detecting SCRAs
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bath
Department Name: Biology and Biochemistry
Abstract
Our proposal seeks to deliver a healthcare technology that will benefit the most vulnerable in society. Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs, more commonly called Spice) are endemic in UK homeless communities and the prison population. These drugs fall under recent Novel Psychoactive Substance legislation. The challenge with these drugs is that there is no generic point-of-care detection, meaning treatment and harm reduction strategies are essentially impossible. The use of these drugs leads not only to significant adverse health outcomes for users but also major social problems owing the drugs common side effects which can include psychosis and aggression.
Our proposal builds on our recent advances in fluorescence spectral fingerprinting of SCRAs to identify these drugs both in street material and in saliva of users. The proposal covers the full range of activities necessary to deliver the technology to beta testing, including portable device design, analytical software development, chemical fingerprint libraries and the associated community pharmacy practice advice to deploy the technology effectively.
At the end of the award we aim to start a not-for-profit social enterprise to bring the technology to the mainstream. The proposal includes partners from the full range of stakeholders relevant to SCRA use including homeless charities, police forces and prisons and drug testing services. Our proposal leverages the contributions of these partners with a carefully selected interdisciplinary research team (analytical/synthetic chemistry, optics engineering, artificial intelligence, community pharmacy and addiction psychology) that can support and deliver each aspect of the proposal.
We believe the scope and potential of our proposal is truly unique and presents the best chance for tackling SCRA use in the UK and more widely.
Our proposal builds on our recent advances in fluorescence spectral fingerprinting of SCRAs to identify these drugs both in street material and in saliva of users. The proposal covers the full range of activities necessary to deliver the technology to beta testing, including portable device design, analytical software development, chemical fingerprint libraries and the associated community pharmacy practice advice to deploy the technology effectively.
At the end of the award we aim to start a not-for-profit social enterprise to bring the technology to the mainstream. The proposal includes partners from the full range of stakeholders relevant to SCRA use including homeless charities, police forces and prisons and drug testing services. Our proposal leverages the contributions of these partners with a carefully selected interdisciplinary research team (analytical/synthetic chemistry, optics engineering, artificial intelligence, community pharmacy and addiction psychology) that can support and deliver each aspect of the proposal.
We believe the scope and potential of our proposal is truly unique and presents the best chance for tackling SCRA use in the UK and more widely.
Organisations
- University of Bath (Lead Research Organisation)
- Medical Research Council (Co-funder)
- Economic and Social Research Council (Co-funder)
- European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (Project Partner)
- Greater Manchester Police (Project Partner)
- Avon and Somerset Police (Project Partner)
- Bristol Drugs Project Limited (Project Partner)
- HMP Hull (Project Partner)
- Univ Hosp Bristol & Weston NHS Fdn Trust (Project Partner)
- Developing Health & Independence (Project Partner)
- TICTAC Communications Ltd (Project Partner)
Publications
Andrews RC
(2023)
Photochemical Fingerprinting Is a Sensitive Probe for the Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists; toward Robust Point-of-Care Detection.
in Analytical chemistry
Cozier GE
(2023)
Instant Detection of Synthetic Cannabinoids on Physical Matrices, Implemented on a Low-Cost, Ultraportable Device.
in Analytical chemistry
Craft S
(2022)
Trends in hospital presentations following analytically confirmed synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist exposure before and after implementation of the 2016 UK Psychoactive Substances Act.
in Addiction (Abingdon, England)
Hindson SA
(2023)
Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists are monoamine oxidase-A selective inhibitors.
in The FEBS journal
Kwok A
(2021)
A Thermodynamic Model for Interpreting Tryptophan Excitation-Energy-Dependent Fluorescence Spectra Provides Insight Into Protein Conformational Sampling and Stability.
in Frontiers in molecular biosciences
Skumlien M
(2023)
Commentary on Allaf et al.: Comparing countries with different legal cannabis markets can inform on the impact of regulating product type and potency.
in Addiction (Abingdon, England)
Winter SD
(2021)
Chemical Mapping Exposes the Importance of Active Site Interactions in Governing the Temperature Dependence of Enzyme Turnover.
in ACS catalysis
| Description | The award has led to the development of technology for the detection of synthetic cannabinoids from an oral swab. The technology is useful for identifying drug overdoses and directing the pathway of care. In addition we have collected data to understand how this technology could be usefully deployed through engagement with stakeholders. |
| Exploitation Route | The technology has allowed us to expand into other areas of drug detection, most notabley instant detection of synthetic drugs in prisons. This has allowed us to secure further funding during teh award and to develop prototype devices. We are now exploring commercialising our technology and are in dicsussion with technology manufacturers and investors. We anticipate we are likely to spin-out a new company in 2024 based on the outcomes of the award |
| Sectors | Healthcare Security and Diplomacy |
| Description | Through our research we have developed links with local community groups and larger national and international drug checking groups. Through these links we are now providing the analytical technology for the UKs first city centre drug checking service, licensed by the Home Office. Our work, based on the outcomes of the award, now directly affects the lives of dependent drug users by providing a means to identify drugs for harm reduction purposes. In addition we have developed new technologies based on the findings in the award that have security applications, particularly in prisons and with the police for identifying smuggled drugs. Our evolving relationship with law enforcement has allowed us to participate in research to understand the landscape of drug use in our region and in particularly to support operational intelligence both within prisons and with the police. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice,Security and Diplomacy |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | Drug checking technology |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | Our technology allows dependent drug users to be able to test their drugs for safety, e.g. to prevent overdose. This is the first time this technology has been available for drugs taht have the highest risk of causing harm. |
| Description | An ultraportable device for the instant detection of synthetic cannabinoids |
| Amount | £205,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ACC2036340 |
| Organisation | Ministry of Defence (MOD) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 02/2024 |
| Title | DRUG DETECTION (IMPROVEMENTS) |
| Description | A method for the detection of drugs on physical surfaces |
| IP Reference | |
| Protection | Patent / Patent application |
| Year Protection Granted | 2022 |
| Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
| Impact | In commercial discussion |