Software Update
We are excited to announce a new MX908 software update with additional drug targets added to the MX908 target list. This release expands the device’s ability to identify emerging and high-risk substances encountered in the field. The update includes new synthetic cannabinoids, a synthetic cathinone, a sedative, and a benzodiazepine.
As the illicit drug landscape continues to change, we remain committed to keeping the MX908 target list evolving alongside it. Regular updates ensure our customers have access to the most meaningful targets and can respond confidently to evolving threats.
How We Choose What Targets to Add
The MX908 is built to analyze and identify priority drugs, chemical warfare agents, explosives, pesticides, toxic industrial chemicals, and key precursors. Using high pressure mass spectrometry technology, the MX908 can identify target compounds at trace levels even in the presence of cutting agents and other interferents. Maintaining a robust and practical target list is central to delivering value to users in real world operations.
Target development is guided first and foremost by customer input. We actively incorporate feedback from users in the field and pair it with insights from leading drug trend and forensic reporting organizations, including:
- United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC)
- U.S. DEA National Forensics Laboratory Information System (NFLIS)
- European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
This approach helps ensure that MX908 software updates focus on substances that are timely, relevant, and operationally important. Our goal is simple: provide customers with the targets they need most to support informed decision making in the field.
| Target Name | Drug Class | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Bromazolam | Benzodiazepine | Bromazolam is a synthetic benzodiazepine that first emerged in Europe around 2016 before spreading to the United States in 2019 and later to Asia and Australia. Although not currently scheduled, its prevalence has increased sharply in recent years. In the United States, bromazolam now accounts for the majority of illicit benzodiazepines and is frequently found mixed with other drugs, including fentanyl. It was placed under international control last year. |
| Medetomidine | Sedative | Medetomidine is a non-opioid sedative, in the same drug class as xylazine, that first emerged in US drug samples in 2022 and has since been observed in Canada and the UK. It is increasingly found in fentanyl street samples and can significantly increase overdose risk. Because it is not an opioid, Narcan does not reverse the effects of medetomidine. |
| ADB-PINACA | Synthetic Cannabinoid | ADB-PINACA is a synthetic cannabinoid which is a Schedule I substance in the United States. It has been linked to several deaths and many overdoses/poisonings. |
| MDMB- BINACA (also known as MDMB- BUTINACA) | Synthetic Cannabinoid | MDMB-BINACA has been prevalent in the illicit drug supply since being first discovered in 2023 in the United States. It has also been observed in the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia and other parts of North America. It is not currently scheduled in the United States. |
| N-isopropyl butylone | Synthetic Cathinone | N-isopropyl butylone is a synthetic stimulant and cathinone which was first discovered in 2024 and has risen in prevalence to become the second most reported cathinone in the U.S. in the latter half of 2025. It is a Schedule I substance. |
908 Devices is Always Moving Forward
We strive to make MX908 more capable every day, so this update will be followed by more to come. Constant improvement is key to keeping pace with today’s threats and giving you the best in trace chemical identification.
Sources:
- World Health Organization- Critical Review Report: Bromazolam
- The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education- NPS Discovery
- UNODC Laboratory and Scientific Service NPS Portal
- European Union Drugs Agency- Synthetic Cannabinoids in Europe
Drug Detection and Identification
Law enforcement and public safety agencies worldwide utilize the MX908 to detect and identify illegal drugs. Learn how the MX908 can help keep agencies safe by detecting and identifying narcotics.
