# DoD Awards $41M Wafermine Contract

On February 12, 2026, the Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity awarded Singapore-based iX Biopharma a **$40,954,914, 36-month sole-source development contract** for Wafermine, a sublingual ketamine product intended to treat acute battlefield pain. The product is not yet an authorized or operational treatment: the FDA has not granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), and iX Biopharma said it planned to submit an application before the end of 2026. Reports also raise questions about state pharmacy-board licensure and production readiness at the company’s Nevada manufacturing partner. The award value does not establish how much has been paid.

- Procurement officials and contractors can distinguish the contract’s stated ceiling or award value from actual disbursements and review the contracting justification and payment records when assessing the award.
- Clinical and FDA authorization milestones remain central to whether the intended military use can proceed; iX Biopharma’s stated application plan is for before year-end 2026, not evidence that an EUA has been granted.
- The reported Nevada licensing issue makes manufacturing readiness a material execution risk for the 36-month development effort. Companies supporting defense medical product development can assess whether regulatory authorization and qualified production capacity are reflected in their own program plans.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Healthcare
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 29, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
- Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHA CA)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Nevada State Board of Pharmacy

### Vendors
- iX Biopharma (contract awardee)
- Orion Specialty Labs (Nevada manufacturing provider)

### Sources
- [Pentagon Ketamine Contract: $41M Deal Faces Questions](https://usaherald.com/pentagon-ketamine-contract-wafermine) - USA Herald
- [Fact Check: Pentagon is investing $41M in 'ketamine wafers' from Singaporean pharmaceutical company](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/fact-check-pentagon-investing-41m-194400010.html) - Yahoo
- [Is Pentagon investing $41M in 'ketamine wafers' from Singaporean pharmaceutical company? | Snopes.com](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pentagon-ketamine-wafers) - Snopes