The opioid crisis continues to evolve with new challenges, and xylazine, an animal tranquilizer increasingly found in illicit drug supplies, has emerged as a dangerous adulterant linked to severe wounds, sedation, and rising overdose deaths. Detecting this compound rapidly and reliably in clinical settings has been a significant unmet need.
Our founders, Dr. Ping Wang and colleagues, have now addressed this gap with the development of a high-sensitivity rapid xylazine dipstick for urine testing, recently published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine. This peer-reviewed study highlights both the innovation behind the test and its clinical impact.
Why Xylazine Testing Matters
Xylazine, often mixed with fentanyl and other opioids, complicates overdose response and increases patient morbidity. Standard toxicology screens have struggled to detect xylazine quickly enough for real-time clinical decision-making. A rapid, accurate test can help emergency departments, hospitals, and harm reduction organizations identify exposure and guide treatment immediately.
Inside the Study
The team designed and validated a lateral flow dipstick assay with breakthrough sensitivity. Key findings include:
- Clinical threshold detection: The test detects xylazine in urine at clinically relevant concentrations.
- Robust validation: Evaluated with real-world clinical samples, the dipstick demonstrated high accuracy compared with LC-MS/MS (the gold standard).
- Ease of use: Designed for point-of-care workflows, results are available in minutes without the need for complex instrumentation.
- Scalability: Simple format allows deployment in diverse settings: emergency departments, community clinics, harm reduction programs, and forensic labs.
Implications for Public Health
By enabling rapid identification of xylazine exposure, this diagnostic tool can support:
- Improved overdose management – guiding clinicians to adjust naloxone dosing and anticipate prolonged sedation.
- Enhanced harm reduction – allowing organizations to provide faster, evidence-based care.
- Better surveillance – supplying real-time data on emerging drug trends.
Building on a Track Record of Innovation
This publication continues the momentum of Instanosis in delivering high-sensitivity diagnostics for fentanyl, nitazenes, and now xylazine. With NIH funding, U.S.-based manufacturing, and validation across >1,000 real-world samples, our platform is redefining how communities and hospitals respond to emerging drug threats.
Read the full paper here: Journal of Addiction Medicine – Development and Validation of a High-Sensitivity Rapid Xylazine Dipstick