Axis toxicologists Laureen Marinetti, PhD, F-ABFT, and Stuart Kurtz, M.S, D-ABFT-FT, presented at the Midwest Association of Toxicology and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (MATT) Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 18-20, 2026. A recap and update of Dr. Marinetti’s presentation follows.

Dr. Marinetti presented on BTMPS, (Bis[2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl] sebacate), brand name Tinuvin®770, at the 2026 Midwest Association for Toxicology and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring annual meeting (MATT) in Cincinnati Ohio on March 19.  BTMPS is commonly used in the manufacture of plastics as a UV‑stabilizing additive.  While BTMPS is often found in samples alongside fentanyl, synthetic opioids, and stimulants, it can also be found in the absence of these typical illicit drugs. Axis has identified two positive cases with BTMPS without the presence of illicit drugs in blood, and four cases with the presence of illicit drugs.  The cases without illicit drugs were an oxycodone overdose with a very high concentration of oxycodone, and an Adderall overdose with a large concentration of amphetamine.  One decedent had filled a prescription for 120 oxycodone pills, the next day he was found deceased and all of the oxycodone pills were gone.  In the second case the decedent had a prescription for 90 Adderall pills with none remaining.  In addition, Axis became aware of a third case involving an individual that was subject to urine testing due to pain management therapy.  The urine test results matched the prescriptions the individual was taking with no illicit drugs present, and he was therefore considered compliant.  However BTMPS was also detected in the urine sample.  In addition, a laboratory in Ohio reported the seizure of 200 illicit M30 pills, which upon testing, only contained BTMPS. 

A question of how the BTMPS entered the licit drug supply was discussed at the MATT meeting.  It is possible that the BTMPS was a contaminant on the oxycodone pills from the plastic medication bottle(s) in which they were stored since manufacture or from an ingredient used to manufacture the pills, and because so many of them were ingested at one time, the BTMPS accumulated to a detectable concentration. For the individual in pain management therapy, he was on multiple medications most of which were stored in plastic bottles, including an opioid. 

The University of Washington drug detection data showed that in licit drug samples, BTMPS was detected.  In 311 prescription opioid samples (excluding fentanyl), 3.5% were positive for BTMPS, thus supporting the BTMPS leaching out of the plastic containers during pill storage or manufacture.  

Further evidence that the BTMPS may be leaching out of plastic was found. BTMPS is a potent calcium channel blocker and nicotine receptor antagonist.  For this reason it has been used in nicotinic receptor studies.  It was discovered by Papke et.al, that in the control and the BTMPS treated nicotinic receptors; both produced the same results of receptor blockade. After investigation it was discovered that BTMPS was leaching out of the plastic syringes that were being used.  When the plastic syringes were removed from use, the control and BTMPS groups no longer produced the same results.  

Because BTMPS has been found in biological specimens from postmortem and ante-mortem samples without the presence of illicit drugs, in prescription opioid pills, and found to leach out of plastic, there can be no assumption that the individual used illicit drugs if BTMPS is confirmed. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the role of BTMPS or any other newly emerged substance in your investigation, please reach out to our Axis Forensic Toxicology subject matter experts at [email protected] or by phone (317-759-4869, Option 3). To stay current with the scope of testing for all services offered by Axis, please consult the online catalog at https://Axisfortox.com. 

References 

• Glossman H., Hering, S., Savchenko, A., Berger, W., et.al., A light stabilizer (Tinuvin 770) that elutes from polypropylene plastic tubes is a potent L-type Ca2+-channel blocker.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Vol. 90, pp9523-9527, October 1993. 
• Papke, R.L., Craig, A.G., and Heinemann, S.F., Inhibition of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by bis (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl) sebacate (Tinuvin 770), an additive to medical plastics.  J.Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1994 Feb;268(2):718-26. 
• UV Stabilizer BTMPS in the Illicit Fentanyl Supply in 9 US Locations, Letter, Journal of the American Medical Association, February 5, 2025. 
• Where do we see BTMPS? Addictions, Drug and Alcohol Institute, University of Washington, https://adai.washington.edu/WAdata/DrugChecking/BTMPS.html, 2026. 
• The first BTMPS Blog post on the Axis Website Feb 6, 2026.  https://axisfortox.com/drug-primer-btmps/