Fast-tracking shelf-stable blood substitutes to the battlefield

DARPA has launched a new program to move shelf-stable, synthetic blood components out of the lab and into real-world use, aiming to provide lifesaving transfusion capabilities in austere and pre-hospital settings as soon as Fiscal Year 2029.

The initiative, called Resuscitation and Prevention of Ischemia-Induced Dysfunction (RAPIID), builds on earlier work under the agency’s Fieldable Solutions for Hemorrhage with bio-Artificial Resuscitation Products (FSHARP) effort. FSHARP demonstrated that bio-synthetic components could potentially deliver the core functions of whole blood—oxygen transport, bleeding control, and restoration of volume and clotting factors—without cold-chain storage. RAPIID’s mandate is to take those components through clinical testing, regulatory pathways, manufacturing scale-up, and into rugged formats suitable for far-forward care.

“FSHARP proved that creating a shelf-stable blood analog was scientifically possible. Now, with RAPIID, we are focused on turning that possibility into a deployable reality that can save lives at the point of injury,” said Lt. Cmdr. Robert Murray, Ph.D., DARPA program manager. “By integrating the development of individual blood components with the diagnostic tools and manufacturing scale required to field them, RAPIID will ensure these critical technologies make it out of the lab and into the hands of medics.”

Traumatic hemorrhage remains one of the leading causes of preventable death in both combat and civilian trauma, yet whole-blood transfusion outside hospitals is often constrained by refrigeration requirements and short shelf life. DARPA’s plan seeks to sidestep those barriers with dried or otherwise shelf-stable components paired with point-of-care tools to guide use.

RAPIID will run for 36 months in two phases. The first, a 12-month stage, centers on preclinical safety and efficacy and the development of manufacturing plans that meet Good Manufacturing Practice standards. The second, spanning 24 months, targets early human clinical trials and finalization of commercialization strategies.

DARPA is soliciting proposals in two initial Technical Areas. TA-1 focuses on maturing individual components—such as oxygen carriers, platelet-derived products, and dried plasma—toward clinical trials, regulatory clearance, and scalable manufacturing. TA-2 covers fielding technologies, including durable packaging and point-of-care diagnostics to support transfusion decisions at the scene.

The agency is also pressing performers to integrate regulatory and business planning from the outset, with expectations for close work on FDA authorizations—potentially including Emergency Use Authorization or licensure—and on long-term sustainment. A solicitation has been posted on SAM.gov.