PharmaDNA: Drug traceability powered by Blockchain & AIoT

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

PharmaDNA: Drug traceability powered by Blockchain & AIoT

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

47360

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

8

[Proposal Summary] Translation Information

Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated

No

Original Language

en

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

Counterfeit medicines and opaque supply chains threaten public health, erode trust, undermine regulation, and inflict heavy economic losses on patients, payers, and the pharmaceutical industry.

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

No dependencies

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

No

License and Additional Information

https://github.com/ptanh05/Pharma_DNA_2025

[Theme Selection] Theme

Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal.

Healthcare

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Describe what makes your idea innovative compared to what has been previously funded (whether by you or others).

Most funded solutions like MediLedger (blockchain for pharma transactions) or IBM’s Food Trust (supply chain traceability) focus narrowly on either compliance or logistics. PharmaDNA is innovative because it integrates blockchain with IoT sensors to create a digital passport for every drug batch—combining real-time environmental monitoring, anti-counterfeiting authentication, ESG tracking, and regulatory compliance in a single platform. This holistic approach bridges trust, transparency, and sustainability—capabilities not fully addressed by current solutions.

Describe what your prototype or MVP will demonstrate, and where it can be accessed.

PharmaDNA MVP: Manufacturers create drug batches, enter information, attach QR codes, and mint NFTs as a “digital passport” on the blockchain. During transportation, IoT sensors monitor temperature, humidity, impact, and GPS; critical data is stored on-chain while detailed data is kept in the cloud. Pharmacies, regulators, or consumers can scan QR/NFC codes to access batch information and history. The dashboard tracks batch count, status, QR scans, and alerts for anomalies. Clear role-based permissions are assigned to Manufacturers, Distributors, and Pharmacies.

Describe realistic measures of success, ideally with on-chain metrics.

Drug Traceability & Verification:

Track batches and data accuracy on-chain; query counts show user interaction.

User & Stakeholder Interaction:

Monitor wallet creation, QR scans, and dApp usage to gauge engagement.

Transparency & Verification:

Blockchain transactions and digital certificates ensure transparency and verification.

Operational Efficiency:

Compare trace times, detect counterfeits early, and reduce inspection costs.

Community & Network Metrics:

Track new partners, audits, reports, and feedback to measure ecosystem growth and trust.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

Problem:

Fake medicines and opaque supply chains endanger public health, erode trust, and create operational pain for pharmaceutical businesses. Even with stricter inspections, authorities still struggle to guarantee provenance or detect counterfeits quickly—especially across wholesalers and pharmacies. Storage risks (e.g., cold-chain breaks) add further compliance and safety challenges.

Solution: PharmaDNA

PharmaDNA is a unified traceability and monitoring platform that enables anyone—from manufacturers to patients—to instantly confirm a medicine’s origin and integrity using its lot number and GS1/QR code.

Our system integrates three core technologies:

Blockchain (Cardano): Provides an immutable, append-only audit trail of every custody and inspection event. Each batch is given a tamper-proof “digital passport” with event logs recorded on-chain via smart contracts. Only authorized roles (manufacturer, distributor, pharmacist, inspector) can publish signed updates.

IoT with Edge Processing: Real-time monitoring of temperature, humidity, shock, and location ensures cold-chain integrity. Data is pre-processed at the edge for low latency and efficiency; key alerts and hashes are anchored on-chain, while detailed records remain securely in the cloud.

GS1/Serialization Standards: Every package is labeled with GTIN/lot/expiry, enabling universal scans at handovers without requiring behavior change across the supply chain.

How It Works

1. Manufacturing: Batches are created and labeled; inspection and quality-control results are hashed and written to Cardano. Each unit gets a unique QR/NFC identifier linked to its on-chain fingerprint.

2. Distribution & Transport: Each custody event is scanned. IoT sensors track storage conditions; excursions trigger real-time alerts. Metadata proofs are committed to blockchain; detailed sensor data is stored off-chain.

3. Pharmacies: Verify authenticity at receipt and dispensing. The system returns “Authentic / Not Found / Recalled,” along with provenance steps.

4. Consumers: A single scan shows the full history, warnings, and recall notices—restoring trust in medicines.

5. Regulators: Dashboards and audit logs provide real-time oversight, compliance monitoring, and rapid recall workflows.

Why Cardano

eUTXO model ensures clear, auditable event chains.

Low, predictable fees make large-scale labeling and scanning viable.

CIP-68 digital twin pattern enables hybrid records: off-chain documents secured by on-chain hashes.

DIDs/VCs ensure only authorized parties can publish specific events.

What Makes PharmaDNA Unique

End-to-end design: Not siloed modules, but a continuous, transparent record from factory to patient.

Blockchain + IoT + GS1 integration: Authenticity plus storage/custody monitoring, not just static QR verification.

Standards-first approach: GS1 compliance means minimal workflow disruption and faster rollout.

Edge + cloud architecture: Balances efficiency (low latency) with robustness (immutable logs, fault tolerance).

Ecosystem impact: At scale, PharmaDNA introduces high-volume, regulated-sector users and transactions to Cardano.

Demonstrating Impact

Time-to-trace: Reduced from hours/days to seconds.

Adoption: Growth in pharmacy and consumer scan counts.

Coverage: More monitored batches/lots and active sites.

Counterfeit response: Faster detection and recall execution.

Reliability: Tracked uptime, failed-scan rates, and regulatory compliance reports.

Privacy & Compliance

No personal health data (PHI/PII) on-chain.

On-chain storage limited to signed hashes + metadata; detailed data stored securely off-chain with encryption and role-based access.

System aligns with GMP, GSP, and regulatory audit requirements.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

PharmaDNA will demonstrate the applicability of Cardano blockchain in the healthcare sector – an industry with high requirements for transparency and safety. The success of the project will help bring more enterprise users, regulatory authorities, and the healthcare community to adopt Cardano technology, expanding the ecosystem both in terms of user base and real-world credibility.

Quantitative metrics (measurable by % or specific numbers):

1. Traceability time reduced from hours to seconds → ≥90% reduction in traceability time (from several hours down to a few seconds).
2. Number of QR/NFC scans → ≥5,000 scans per month during the pilot phase.
3. Number of drug batches monitored → ≥1,000 batches tracked within the first 6 months.
4. Number of storage condition alerts → ≥95% of alerts accurately recorded in real time.
5. Reduced recall costs → ≥30% reduction in product recall costs thanks to early detection and rapid containment.

Qualitative metrics (harder to quantify, measured by surveys/feedback):

1. Business satisfaction → level of satisfaction among enterprises adopting the system.
2. Consumer satisfaction → positive feedback from consumers regarding trust and drug safety.
3. Feedback from regulatory authorities → evaluation from regulators on transparency and support for inspection and monitoring.

Results, source code, and reports will be made publicly available on GitHub, the project website, and Cardano community channels, and shared through workshops, seminars, and research groups within Catalyst. This allows the community to verify, reuse, and extend the solution to other sectors, while creating new collaboration opportunities within the Cardano ecosystem.

[Your Project and Solution] Capabilities & Feasibility

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Transparency and accountability. Trust will be reinforced through:

• Public work tracking (roadmap, changelogs, issue boards) and open GitHub repositories.
• Progress and finance reports published to the website and Catalyst channels on a fixed cadence.
• Proof of Achievement (PoA) artifacts per milestone: code PRs, tagged releases, demo videos, anonymized datasets, test reports, and verifiable on-chain transaction IDs.

Feasibility: how the approach will be validated

Technical validation plan (V-model).

• Architecture & security review (Gate A). Finalize on/off-chain split, data schemas (GS1 GTIN/lot/expiry), key management, and access control; complete a DPIA/privacy review (no PHI/PII on-chain).
• Unit & contract tests. Achieve ≥90% coverage for smart-contract core paths; formal invariants for event append-only behavior.
• System integration tests (testnet). Prove the full pipeline: batch creation → custody scans → consumer verification; include failure/retry and offline queuing.
• Performance & cost modeling. Load-test scan throughput, measure median verification latency, and model per-event fees; define SLOs (e.g., p95 verify ≤2s, uptime ≥99.5%).
• IoT field validation. Calibrate sensors; simulate temperature/shock excursions; verify signed payloads and anti-replay.
• Security hardening. Independent penetration test on APIs/mobile; SBOM and dependency scans; key-rotation drills.
• Pilot with partners (Gate B). Limited-scope production with named manufacturers/distributors/pharmacies; run a recall drill with the regulator.
• Acceptance against KPIs (Gate C). Confirm time-to-trace reduction from hours to seconds, growth in QR/NFC verifications, increase in monitored lots, and documented reduction in recall handling time/cost.

Operational readiness.

• Runbooks for pharmacy onboarding, device provisioning, incident response, and disaster recovery.
• Observability (metrics/logs/traces) and automated alerts for failed scans, sensor anomalies, and contract errors.
• Compliance posture: encryption in transit/at rest, role-based access, audit logs, data retention policy aligned to regulator guidance.

Processes that ensure funds are managed properly

• Milestone-gated disbursement. Funds are released only upon independent verification of milestone PoA artifacts and acceptance criteria.
• Dual approval workflow. Every payment requires at least two approvals (operational + finance) in the multi-sig treasury.
• Budget discipline. Line-item caps for engineering, integration, labeling/IoT hardware, cloud/infra, security review, and training/field operations; changes require a documented variance memo.
• Monthly reporting. Public progress + financial reports (burn vs. plan, remaining runway) and updated risk register.
• Auditability. All expenses mapped to milestones and linked to receipts, contracts, and PoA in a public index; readiness for community or third-party review at any time

Why this team is best suited

• Domain–tech convergence: Rare combination of Cardano smart-contract expertise, IoT/edge integration, and GS1/serialization fluency.
• Proven build velocity: Working prototypes already in place; web client in test hardening.
• Stakeholder access: Existing relationships with government stakeholders to accelerate pilot approvals and feedback cycles.
• Financial stewardship: Experienced leadership in structured fund management and transparent reporting, tailored to the expectations of enterprise and public-sector partners.

Conclusion. With production-grade engineering practices, transparent governance, and rigorous validation gates—from architecture review through pilot acceptance—the PharmaDNA project is positioned to deliver a trustworthy, auditable solution and to prove feasibility in real-world healthcare settings.

Accountability Reporting

1. Milestone Completion

• Each milestone is clearly defined with deliverables, KPIs, and timelines.
• The project team must demonstrate that the milestone is not only technically completed but also aligned with the scope and objectives of the original proposal.
• Deliverables must be independently verifiable (e.g., open-source code on GitHub, a working demo, or technical documentation).

1. Submission of Proof of Achievement (PoA)

The project team submits evidence along with the milestone, including:

• GitHub/GitLab links with commit history or tagged releases.
• Demo video showing the product in action.
• Progress report describing results and achieved KPIs.
• Training materials or case studies, if available.

Evidence must be made public (or suitably accessible) so the community, Catalyst Circle, and IOG can review and verify.

1. Verification

• Catalyst or an authorized third party verifies the submitted evidence.
• Verification conditions: - a, Results match the committed deliverables. - b, Evidence is valid and independently verifiable. - c, The milestone is completed within the committed timeline.
• If requirements are met → milestone is accepted, and funds are disbursed. If not → revisions, additional evidence, or possible rejection of disbursement may occur.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

System Architecture Design & Planning

Milestone Outputs

• User research: Identify potential user groups and gather needs via surveys and interviews at hospitals.
• Technical planning: Define requirements and project specifications.
• Design: Develop system architecture, UI/UX, and user journeys.
• Security & blockchain: Establish secure data handling protocols and smart contract functions.
• Project management: Set up task allocation, resource planning, and risk mitigation.

Acceptance Criteria

• User needs: Clearly understood and validated through healthcare facility engagement.
• Interface design: Created for simplicity and ease of use.
• Project management: Task planning and backlog reviewed, with blockers identified and addressed.

Evidence of Completion

• Survey/interview summary: PDF or Google Doc documenting user research.
• UI/UX design: Figma files or screenshots of interface designs.
• Technical architecture: Document detailing system design and protocols.
• Project roadmap: Shared task breakdown via Notion, Trello, or GitHub Projects.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

4800

Progress

20 %

Milestone Title

MVP Development & Internal Testing

Milestone Outputs

• Deploy MVP on Cardano testnet: Launch and validate core functionalities.
• Internal testing and debugging: Ensure stability and fix bugs.
• Multilingual user-friendly interface: Make the platform intuitive and accessible.
• Project tracking and updates: Monitor progress and keep stakeholders informed.

Acceptance Criteria

• MVP on testnet: Smart contracts integrated and running.
• Testing: 100+ test transactions successfully executed.
• Interface: Fully functional in English and Vietnamese.
• Security: Test logs confirm safe data handling.

Evidence of Completion

• Testnet deployment: Link to the live MVP on Cardano testnet.
• Transaction logs: Records of 100+ test transactions (Tx hashes or exports).
• UI evidence: Screenshots showing fully functional multi-language interface.
• Development history: GitHub commit history and release notes.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

12200

Progress

50 %

Milestone Title

Pilot Launch with Real Users

Milestone Outputs

• Launch a pilot program in at least three regional health
• facilities and collaborate with health care organizations
• Onboard minimum 50 real users.
• Collect user feedback through surveys.
• Analyze system performance and fix issues.

Acceptance Criteria

• Participants: At least 50 users onboarded.
• Feedback: 80% of participants provide feedback via structured surveys on usability and data security.
• Pilot results: Analysis confirms no critical data breach or system failure during the pilot phase.

Evidence of Completion

• Pilot access: URL or system access link for the deployed pilot.
• Agreements: Signed pilot agreements or MOUs with 3 clinics (if applicable).
• Feedback report: Summary including charts, raw feedback, and analysis.
• Audit logs: Anonymized transaction logs for verification.
• Issue tracking: Tracker showing response to real-user issues.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

15200

Progress

70 %

Milestone Title

Full Deployment & Community Integration

Milestone Outputs

• Launch the project on Cardano mainnet to enable real-world operations and ensure transparent recording of all transactions on the blockchain.
• Implement community governance features so stakeholders can actively participate in decision-making, proposals, and overall project management.
• Execute awareness and education campaigns targeting both the Cardano community and healthcare ecosystem to promote understanding, adoption, and trust in blockchain-based medicine traceability solutions.

Acceptance Criteria

• Mainnet release: Fully functional with core features, including data entry and traceability.
• DAO governance: Enables healthcare providers and insurers to propose and vote on feature updates.
• Public engagement: Campaigns via X, Cardano Forum, and YouTube achieving ≥1,000 combined views.

Evidence of Completion

• Mainnet access: Public link to the application with source code, documentation, and test accounts for verification.
• Governance demo: Screenshots or video tutorials explaining the governance process and stakeholder voting.
• Campaign report: Social media report including post links, video views, and engagement metrics.
• DAO repository: GitHub repo containing smart contract logic and participation records (proposals and votes).

Delivery Month

2

Cost

15160

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Our proposal is expected to be divided into 4 milestones with the estimated budget as follows:

Milestone 1 : Design and construction of architectural systems 12040 ADA ⇔ 25.42%

Milestone 2 : Project development and launch of test version (MVP) 10740 ADA ⇔ 22,68%

Milestone 3 : Pilot program launch 12460 ADA ⇔ 26,31%

Milestone 4: Comprehensive deployment and community integration 12120 ADA ⇔ 25,59%

Total: 47360 ₳.

View Details Here : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1be26Il_gk2fb1l6EEaablYPlDGeG90z7PHFUOvi3osY/edit?usp=sharing

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?

The costs of the PharmaDNA project have been carefully estimated to ensure maximum value for money for the Cardano ecosystem. All expenses, including software development, IoT integration, blockchain implementation, and project management, reflect current market rates for skilled professionals in the fields of blockchain, AIoT, and healthcare technology.

We have benchmarked our costs against average freelance and industry rates in our region: for example, blockchain developers typically earn $800–$1,200 per month, while IoT and AI integration specialists command $1,200–$5,000 per month. By basing our budget on these rates and the actual time required for development, we ensure that every dollar spent directly contributes to delivering a robust, real-world solution that enhances drug traceability and supply chain transparency.

Furthermore, the project leverages open-source frameworks and existing tools wherever possible, minimizing unnecessary expenditure. Given the complexity and high-impact nature of the solution, the proposed budget represents efficient use of resources and strong value for money for the Cardano ecosystem, while setting a precedent for sustainable, high-quality blockchain projects in the healthcare sector.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes