Could breath analysis help with gut issues?
Pharmaforum, the pharmaceutical industry’s online forum established to exchange knowledge, insights, and advances in the field, has recently published an article by Owlstone CEO Billy Boyle, and Scientific Content Writer Dr. Madeleine Ball. The piece titled, ‘How breath analysis could help those living with gut health issues like IBS,’ covers the launch of OMED Health and Owlstone’s plans to address the diagnosis crisis within digestive health.
The article outlines the difficulties patients have experienced when it comes to obtaining a diagnosis for gut-related health issues and how being able to offer a non-invasive breath test could help alleviate these issues.
Traditionally, conditions such as SIBO were diagnosed through culturing a liquid biopsy of the small intestine, gained through an endoscopic procedure. This is invasive, expensive, and has many downsides that limit its validity as a test. An alternative, and in many ways a preferable method of diagnosis, is through a breath test.
However, there are particular challenges surrounding the development of these tests and other at-home diagnostic tests.
Many commercial tests are available that measure levels of hydrogen and methane in exhaled breath, but these can suffer from inaccuracy and a lack of standardized protocols for breath collection. This is why Owlstone Medical has recently launched OMED Health, which offers clinicians and patients access to at-home breath test kits for the diagnosis and monitoring of gut health problems like SIBO and carbohydrate malabsorption.
Through OMED Health, Owlstone can supply breath tests for SIBO and food intolerances to people across the UK for just £250. This service includes guidance from an associated consultant specialist who can discuss the diagnostics and help plan treatment if necessary after testing.
Soon, Owlstone will launch the OMED Health App and Analyzer; sign up to the waitlist to be among the first to receive updates, and have a chance to be involved in company user testing phases.
Owlstone Medical is developing a breathalyzer with a focus on non-invasive diagnostics for cancer, inflammatory disease and infectious disease, the company aims to save 100,000 lives and $1.5B in healthcare costs.
The company’s Breath Biopsy® platform has introduced a new diagnostic modality making it possible to discover novel non-invasive biomarkers in breath using a platform with the potential to transition to point-of-care. The award winning
