Owlstone Inc. Awarded Contract to Develop Next Generation Chemical Detector (NGCD) for the US Dept. of Defense

Norwalk, CT, September 26 2014: Owlstone Inc. announced today that it has been awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to develop the US Department of Defense’s (DOD) Next Generation Chemical Detector (NGCD).  Funded through the DOD’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD), Owlstone’s NGCD will deliver the highest level of sensitivity and selectivity ever achieved in a portable, self-contained unit. JPEO-CBD’s NGCD program is funding a new family of products capable of detecting a wide variety of chemical warfare agents (CWAs). Under this multiyear, three-phase contract, Owlstone will add new features to NGCD, its advanced chemical detection platform, while reducing size and weight and increasing power to bring laboratory-performance functionality to point of need for military personnel.   

In an extremely competitive acquisition, Owlstone was one of three companies chosen by the US DOD to compete in developing a handheld chemical detector.  In the program, the US military defined the most advanced specifications for chemical detection to protect soldiers on the battlefield including extreme sensitivity, extreme selectivity, portability, reliability, and reprogrammability. Owlstone’s proprietary technology was selected for its sensitivity and selectivity, broadband detection, man portability, flexibility, lightweight, and rapid response time.

“The award is a significant milestone that reflects the unique potential of Owlstone to deliver innovative solutions,” says Bret Bader, CEO and Director of Owlstone. “Owlstone’s NGCD system will deliver cutting-edge chemical detection and identification capabilities to our military forces around the world to help in their efforts to combat the threats of chemical and toxic agents.” Upon completion of the three-phase development program, JPEO-CBD’s purchases of new handheld chemical detectors are projected to reach more than $500M, and as such would redefine military chemical detection solutions for the foreseeable future.

Media contact

For more information please contact:

Mark Brennan
Mark.Brennan@owlstoneinc.com
USA: +1 203-908-4848

About Owlstone Inc.

Owlstone Inc. delivers next generation chemical detection technology that is used to help diagnose cancer, protect the military, and monitor food, water, and air. Owlstone’s powerful platform technology delivers solutions in compact configurations at low power requirements to defense, medical, industrial, and IoT markets wherever there is a need for extremely sensitive and selective methods of detection. Owlstone partners with leading systems manufacturers and systems integrators to integrate its technology into next generation chemical sensing products and solutions.

SOURCE Owlstone Inc.