TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Peptoid-Based Chelating Ligands for Selective Metal Chelation
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Department of Energy (DOE), through Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), is offering a Technology Licensing Opportunity for novel Peptoid-Based Chelating Ligands. This technology provides a tunable platform for selectively capturing and holding specific metal ions, including actinides and lanthanides, with high resistance to breakdown under physiological conditions. This is not a call for external services for technology development. Interested parties should respond by June 30, 2026.
Technology Overview
These peptoid-based chelating ligands utilize cyclic peptoid scaffolds with customizable side chains for metal binding. Unlike traditional peptides, peptoids attach side chains to nitrogen, enhancing their resistance to hydrolysis and maintaining stability in harsh environments. The modular design allows for tuning ring size, side-chain chemistry, and functional groups (e.g., catecholates, phosphonates) to optimize selectivity for hard metal ions.
Key Advantages
- Strong selectivity for hard metal ions, including actinides and lanthanides.
- Greater resistance to hydrolysis compared to many natural chelators.
- Modular design for adaptability to different metals and applications.
- Potential uses across medical, imaging, and separation fields.
- Adjustable water or lipid compatibility based on target environment.
- Platform chemistry adaptable to various side-chain combinations.
Market Applications
- Environmental Remediation and Waste Handling
- Medical Chelation Therapy
- Medical Imaging (contrast-agent development)
- Drug Delivery (carrier or targeting chemistry)
- Separations and Purification (selective recovery of valuable metals)
- Radiotherapy Support (targeted metal-based delivery systems)
Licensing Information
LANL's licensing program aims to commercialize inventions developed by its researchers. Patented (US Patent Nos. 11,254,708; 11,859,018) and patent-pending inventions, along with copyrighted software, are available for licensing to existing and start-up companies through exclusive and non-exclusive agreements. The technology is currently at TRL 4.
Contract & Timeline
- Opportunity Type: Special Notice (Technology Licensing Opportunity)
- Set-Aside: None specified
- Response Date: June 30, 2026, 23:00:00Z
- Published Date: May 12, 2026, 17:23:48Z
- Place of Performance: Los Alamos, NM, United States
Contact Information
For specific discussions regarding licensing, please contact Caleb Ledgerwood or Lindsay Augustyn at licensing@lanl.gov.