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By Chen Lin
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – A Singaporean company has developed a breathalyzer test for the new coronavirus that it says will let people know if they are infected in less than a minute.
Breathonix, a start-up from the National University of Singapore, says its test achieved more than 90% accuracy in a 180-person pilot clinical trial in the city-state and hopes to gain regulatory approval early next year.
Countries around the world are looking to develop alternative tests to the nasal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab, which is invasive and in short supply in some places where demand has exceeded manufacturers’ production capacity.
Breathonix is currently expanding its test in Singapore and hopes to improve accuracy and get the green light for commercialization in the first quarter of next year.
At $ 20, Breathonix says its test would be 70% cheaper than PCR tests, although infected patients will likely still need the more sensitive PCR tests to confirm the diagnosis.
“The breath test is more like a top-notch display device,” said Jia Zhunan, co-founder and CEO of Breathonix, adding that it could be implemented at conferences, sporting events and concerts.
The device uses disposable mouthpieces and is designed to ensure that there is no cross contamination.
After blowing into the device, it tests the chemicals in the breath to determine whether or not a person is infected. Results are generated by a computer in 60 seconds.
A hospital in France is testing a similar breathalyzer, although experts have warned that the system may be too expensive for widespread distribution.
(Reporting by Chen Lin; Editing by John Geddie and Martin Petty)
