Funding from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will support development of Owlstone Medical’s breath test for diagnosing and monitoring Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) infections in CF patients.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways
- Early Detection: The breath test aims to identify Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections sooner than sputum cultures, especially in pediatric CF patients.
- Noninvasive Testing: Using volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis, the test offers a less invasive alternative to traditional diagnostics.
- Treatment Impact: Early identification may help reduce antibiotic overuse and prevent chronic, drug-resistant infections.
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will invest up to $2.3 million in Owlstone Medical to develop a breath test designed to detect P. aeruginosa infections, according to a foundation news announcement.
The goal of the investment is to develop a breath-based test suitable for both early detection of new P. aeruginosa infection and monitoring of chronic infection in patients with CF, with diagnostic accuracy at least comparable to sputum culture tests, according to Owlstone Medical.
Approximately 25% of CF patients were found to be positive for Pseudomonas in 2023, and nearly 13% of them had multi-drug-resistant strains, according to data from the CFF Patient Registry (excluding lung transplant patients).
CFF says the breath test could allow earlier detection of P. aeruginosa compared to traditional sputum cultures, which are more difficult to obtain from pediatric patients and can miss early signs of infection, according to CFF.
Earlier identification of bacteria can reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and eliminate infections before they become persistent and more likely to develop antibiotic resistance, the CFF says.
“Developing high-performing diagnostic tests of lung infections that do not rely on sputum collection or invasive procedures is a high priority,” David Nichols, MD, senior director of clinical research development at the CF Foundation said in a foundation news release. “Once Pseudomonas is established in the lungs, it is difficult to eliminate, so early detection and treatment is crucial in eradicating these infections.”
According to Owlstone Medical, the breath test will leverage its expertise in volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis and be designed to distinguish P. aeruginosa from S. aureus and other common respiratory bacterial pathogens found in the lungs of people with CF.
CFF reports a preclinical study will assess the feasibility of breath analysis to identify Pseudomonas lung infections and whether the technology can support longer term monitoring. The initial focus will be on chronic Pseudomonas, and, if successful, Owlstone says it plans to undertake additional research into the detection of new Pseudomonas infections to improve early diagnosis in people with CF.
Source: CFF and Owlstone Medical
