Biobot Analytics Selected by White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to Provide Nationwide Wastewater Intelligence on Substance Use Trends

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Biobot Analytics, the nation's leader in wastewater intelligence, today announced it has been awarded a contract by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to deliver nationwide insight on substance use.

Biobot's proprietary wastewater intelligence platform provides data for dozens of infectious disease pathogens and chemical substances—including stimulants, psychoactives, opioids (such as fentanyl), substance use disorder treatment medications (like methadone and Narcan), and emerging compounds. Under this contract, Biobot will provide ONDCP with nationwide, population-level substance use insights for more than 20 chemical targets.

Wastewater-based epidemiology is a novel approach that provides timely, aggregate estimates of drug consumption. The data generated can guide funding strategies for local treatment and recovery services, support community-level program evaluation, provide insights into drug trafficking activities, and assist with early detection of emerging threats. Wastewater information will complement overdose, hospitalizations, toxicology, and survey data—providing faster and more objective population-level signals of substance use nationally.

"Wastewater gives us powerful, near real-time, data on drugs that are damaging our communities," said Victor Avila, Acting Director of ONDCP. "Biobot's data will not only indicate the types and quantities of drugs consumed and identify hotspots of overdose, but will also offer insights into drug production and trafficking, thereby providing critical intelligence to decrease both the drug supply and demand. These data will help federal and local partners act more quickly and target lifesaving resources where they are most needed."

Building on Biobot's Work with NIH and NIDA
This new ONDCP engagement builds on Biobot's national work with the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). From 2020–2024, Biobot executed Phase I, II, and III SBIR programs with NIDA to develop its proprietary wastewater platform. That program demonstrated that Biobot's data can detect shifts in drug use several months before traditional indicators, allowing health officials to launch interventions earlier and ultimately save lives. Insights and methodologies developed through the NIDA program will support ONDCP's expanded national program.

"Biobot was founded to give communities and policymakers a clearer, faster picture of unfolding health threats," said Dr. Mariana Matus, Cofounder and CEO of Biobot Analytics. "Partnering with ONDCP allows us to scale that mission nationally—turning wastewater insights into actionable intelligence that helps policymakers direct resources, prevent overdoses, and save lives."

About the Office of National Drug Control Policy
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) leads and coordinates the nation's drug policy so that it improves the health and lives of the American people. ONDCP coordinates the National Drug Control Strategy, and oversees federal funding that supports prevention, treatment, and recovery programs. ONDCP works across 18 federal agencies and manages key community-focused programs including the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program and the Drug-Free Communities Program.

About Biobot Analytics
Biobot Analytics is the pioneer and global leader in wastewater epidemiology, transforming sewage infrastructure into a public health observatory. Biobot's high risk substance platform and infectious disease programs serve hundreds of communities across the United States, providing real-time intelligence to guide policy and response. Biobot was the first company to commercialize wastewater epidemiology and continues to set scientific standards for the field.

SOURCE Biobot Analytics