Better diagnostics are just a breath away

The eNose company aims to utilize the aeoNose, a portable breath analyzer, to overcome any obstacle that has thus far prevented early detection of lung cancer. Our ultimate goal is to save lives and reduce the need for expensive and invasive tests and treatments.
Being fast, painless, and a lot cheaper compared to traditional diagnostic methods (like the colonoscopy), the aeoNose can provide clarity as soon as earliest symptoms develop. The results will indicate if an additional test, a colonoscopy, is still needed.

The breath test is being used as an additional diagnostic method to the current traditional ones, in order to get a better and faster decision on the necessity for next step diagnostics.

Main advantages of the aeoNose

A test only takes 15 minutes
Ease of use

AeoNose colorectal cancer detection

The air we exhale reflects our health. Components that are released from our body through exhaled breath (Volatile Organic Compounds or VOC’s) are perfectly suited to diagnose a variety of pathologies in humans. A disease can alter the specific composition of components found in exhaled breath. Years of careful development and training of the aeoNose using ‘breath prints’ now allows us to identify, classify and predict colorectal cancer in humans.

Status of validation process on colon cancer detection

Currently, the eNose Company is finishing up a ‘multi-center validation study’, which evaluates the aeoNose for the specific application of colorectal cancer detection. This clinical study is conducted by Ms. Milou van Riswijk, PhD student and prospective gastro-enterologist. Supervisor is Prof Peter Siersema, gastro-enterologist at Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Several major hospitals in the Netherlands are participating in the study including Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Study results are expected to be ready by the end of 2022 / beginning of 2023, hence suggesting the aeoNose most likely will be available for general use as a diagnostic tool for colorectal cancer by 2023.

Reliability

The reliability of the aeoNose breath test is very high as it’s critical to prevent false negative test results. Simultaneously, a rapid and early diagnosis of colorectal cancer is equally important. Results will be explained in more detail in the clinical study, conducted by Milou van Riswijk, prospective gastro-enterologist at Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Currently, we are validating the aeoNose in the following hospitals

Related publications

Volatile organic compounds in breath can serve as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for the detection of advanced adenomas and colorectal cancer

K.E. van Keulen
M.E. Jansen
R.W.M. Schrauwen
J.J. Kolkman
P.D. Siersema

Feasibility of volatile organic compound in breath analysis in the follow-up of colorectal cancer: a pilot study

E.G.M. Steenhuis
I.J.H. Schoenaker
J.W.B. de Groot
H.B. Fiebrich
J.C. de Graaf
R.M. Brohet
J.D. van Dijk
H.L. van Westreenen
P.D. Siersema
W.H. de Vos tot Nederveen Cappel

All exhaled-breath tests are being processed in a way that preserves anonymity by encryption. Actual classifications are visible in the electronic patient file only, and therefore not accessible by The eNose Company.

Results are stored in the electronic patient file and are only available to the patient and his/her healthcare professional.

Anonymized, numerical records of all screenings are encrypted and successively stored in an international BreathPrint™ database. Newly added breathprints contribute to improved, more accurate and smarter classification algorithms. In this way, this valuable source of information on exhaled-breath analysis of detectable diseases will be available to healthcare professionals around the globe.

Currently, a breath test for general practitioners is not available yet. However, development of such a test for GPs will start soon for a number of specific indications. At the moment, any trials for a self-test have not been planned.

In case the patient shows symptoms, the general practitioner or physician should consider performing the test, pending compatibility between symptoms and approved applications of the aeoNose.

The risk of cross-contamination is negligible. The following measures are in place to ensure this:

For each test, a new disposable mouthpiece is used,
For each mouthpiece, a so-called HEPA-filter is mounted, which filters out bacteria and viruses, thereby preventing them from entering the aeoNose device.
The patient inhales and exhales through the (new, disposable) mouthpiece, not directly through the aeoNose. The AeoNose has been approved by departments for infection prevention in several Dutch hospitals, including in the case of Covid-19.

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