Listen to this articleThe basics:
- SpotitEarly partners with Hackensack Meridian for dog-powered, AI-assisted early cancer detection
- Breath-based test detects cancer odor signatures with 94% accuracy in trials
- Initial 2,000-participant study focuses on breast cancer, with plans to expand to other types
- At-home kit aims to improve access, early detection & survival outcomes, once approved
An Englewood-based biotech startup focused on using trained canines and artificial intelligence as an early cancer detection tool is partnering with Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center.
As part of the research collaboration announced Sept. 30, SpotitEarly will work with the Hackensack-headquartered facility’s Hennessy Institute for Cancer Prevention and Applied Molecular Medicine. The partners will explore a promising new method that could significantly impact how the disease is screened.
SpotitEarly aims to improve access to cancer screening, enhance early detection rates and significantly boost survival outcomes with its breath-based, at-home test for multiple types of cancer.
The at-home screening kit relies on the olfactory abilities of trained dogs combined with a proprietary AI platform to detect cancer odor signatures found in a patient’s volatile organic compounds. During a two-year clinical trial involving 1,400 individuals, the test achieved a 94% accuracy rate, findings in Nature’s Scientific Reports showed.
The company entered the U.S. market in May. Its arrival came after raising $20.3 million in funding to help strengthen its technology and scale. Pending regulatory approval, SpotitEarly plans to make its at-home test commercially available next year. The rollout will cover the four most common types of cancer: breast, lung, colorectal and prostate.
SpotitEarly’s partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health will begin with the launch of a 2,000-participant multi-center, double-blind observational study. That research will focus on breast cancer detection. According to SpotitEarly, the trial will enroll up to 500 women currently undergoing mammograms or biopsies for breast cancer at HMH.
NJBIZ Conversations:
SpotitEarly CEO Shlomi Madar
The chief executive officer describes the company’s canine diagnostic technology and where it goes from here. Watch here.
‘Groundbreaking approach’
The research collaboration will initially focus on breast cancer detection. However, there are future plans to broaden research to include other cancer types, such as lung and prostate.
For more information about the breast cancer study, including enrollment details, contact [email protected].
SpotitEarly CEO Shlomi Madar said, “Less than 15% of all cancers in the U.S. are diagnosed through a recommended screening protocol. This number is far too low, especially with how much we know about the life-saving potential of early detection. Our goal is to help close this gap by exploring and developing innovative screening solutions.”
“Driven by a shared mission to transform our healthcare system from a reactive to a proactive one, this partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health marks a pivotal first step in making our technology available in the U.S.,” Madar said.
Dr. Andre Goy is physician-in-chief and vice president of oncology at Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center. He added, “Almost two-thirds of cancer diagnoses have no screening test. At Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center, we are deeply committed to early cancer detection – the ultimate way to improve patient outcomes.
“Partnering with SpotitEarly on this innovative breath test technology offers a potentially groundbreaking approach to screening and aligns perfectly with our mission to transform cancer care through proactive prevention.”
