Tech-Snapshot-DCRecruiter-26-24915.pdf
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- Attached to
- TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: DC Recruiter
- Solicitation number
- S-195061
- Issued by
-
Department of Energy
About this file
This is a Technology Snapshot document from Los Alamos National Laboratory presenting a technology licensing opportunity.
DC Recruiter is a broad-spectrum immune enhancer technology developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists that addresses infection management gaps by stimulating immune defense before a specific pathogen is identified. The technology uses a self-assembling peptide nanofiber platform designed to bind to and activate dendritic cells, the immune system's sentinel cells, enabling rapid early immune response regardless of the infecting agent. Unlike pathogen-specific vaccines or therapeutics, DC Recruiter provides broad-spectrum protection and is formulated as a needle-free spray for practical deployment in time-critical situations including outbreak response, field environments, and high-risk exposure scenarios. The technology is at Technology Readiness Level 3 with a U.S. patent pending (S-195061). Primary market applications include infectious disease prevention, outbreak response and public health, defense and national security, consumer health and wellness, pharmaceuticals and biotech development, and emergency preparedness. Key advantages include faster immune response activation, pathogen-agnostic functionality, dendritic cell targeting, applicability when infection cause is unknown, suitability for outbreak and emergency settings, and ease of use through spray administration. Interested parties should contact licensing@lanl.gov for additional information, with additional LANL technologies available through m.lanl.gov/tech-search and more information accessible on SAM.gov.
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Richard P. Feynman Center for Innovation
Technology Snapshot
Technology Description DC Recruiter addresses a persistent and highly consequential gap in infection management: the need for a rapid, broadly effective way to stimulate immune defense before the specific pathogen is known. In many exposure scenarios, the body encounters a threat before clinicians can identify the cause, and that delay can reduce the effectiveness of conventional interventions.
Current vaccines, antibiotics and antivirals are generally designed to act against a known target, which limits their usefulness when exposure is unexpected, diagnosis is delayed or the pathogen is unfamiliar. That limitation creates a clear unmet need for a fast-acting, broad-spectrum approach that can be deployed early, with minimal complexity, and in settings where rapid response matters most, including outbreak situations, field environments and other high-risk conditions.
DC Recruiter solves this problem by using a specific peptide selected to bind to dendritic cells. By leveraging a self-assembling peptide nanofiber platform, the technology is designed to help “wake up” immune surveillance early, before infection can progress unchecked. Rather than relying on a treatment matched to one virus or bacterium, it creates the potential for broad-spectrum immune support across many different infectious threats. Its ability to provide broad-spectrum immune support makes it especially compelling for situations where time is critical and conventional options may be too specific, too slow or too late to provide immediate protection. The needle-free, spray-friendly concept also adds practical value by supporting easier administration and broader accessibility, strengthening its fit for real-world use cases that demand rapid, flexible deployment.
Advantages
• Helps the body respond faster after exposure to an infection
• Works in a broad, pathogen-agnostic way rather than against just one germ
• Targets dendritic cells, which help alert and activate the immune system
• May be useful when the exact cause of infection is not yet known
• Could be helpful in outbreak, emergency, or high-risk settings
• Has the potential to be easier to use because it is designed as a needle-free spray
Market Applications
• Infectious Disease Prevention (early-response immune support, broad-spectrum protection)
• Outbreak Response and Public Health (rapid deployment, exposure mitigation)
• Defense and National Security (force protection, biological threat preparedness)
• Consumer Health and Wellness (easy-to-use immune support, potential spray format)
• Pharmaceuticals and Biotech (next-generation immunomodulation, platform development)
• Emergency Preparedness (first-response tools, high-risk exposure settings)
DC Recruiter Broad-Spectrum Immune Enhancer
Value Proposition DC Recruiter: Broad-Spectrum Immune Enhancer from scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory offers a differentiated approach to multi-pathogen infection prevention by using a self-assembling peptide nanofiber to recruit and activate dendritic cells (DCs), the immune system’s natural sentinels.
Unlike pathogen-specific vaccines or therapeutics, it is designed to help trigger an early immune response regardless of the infecting agent.
Its needle-free, spray-friendly concept adds practicality.
Technology Readiness Level 3
IP Information for S-195061 U.S. Patent pending
Contact Information licensing@lanl.gov
An Equal Opportunity Employer / Managed by Triad National Security, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s NNSA
LA-UR-26-24915
Technology Licensing Opportunity
Learn more on SAM.gov Explore additional LANL technologies:
m.lanl.gov/tech-search
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .