bioAffinity Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: BIAF) has scooped another patent for its novel saliva analysis lung cancer screening tool.
The intellectual property certification from the Canadian Patent Office covers the Texan company’s method of detecting lung disease through flow cytometry analysis of sputum/phlegm. Flow cytometry is a complex artificial intelligence and laser examination technique.
“System and Method for Determining Lung Health” is the name of the patent.
The new approval builds on the medtech company securing IP protection for CyPath Lung in China, Australia and Japan.
“Recent case studies highlight CyPath Lung’s ability to detect lung cancer at its earliest stages,” said chief executive, Maria Zannes, in the announcement, “making our test all the more valuable in Canada where 50 per cent of all lung cancer cases are diagnosed late at Stage IV with a five-year survival rate of about 19 per cent overall.”
CyPath lung is one of a select few screening tools that have demonstrated exceptional accuracy in clinical studies. OneBreath, developed by Breath Diagnostics, is another standout. Both of these screening modalities are highly advantageous because they are non-invasive and radiation-free.
According to bioAffinity, the spit analysis tool has demonstrated 92 per cent sensitivity, 87 per cent specificity and 88 per cent accuracy at identifying lung cancer in high risk patients with lung nodules smaller than 20 millimetres.
The collection method consists of a patient distributing their saliva into a cup every 24 hours for three days before the sample then gets sent to a lab. CyPath Lung serves as a valuable verification tool after a person receives a positive result from a low-dose CT scan, thereby helping limit the need for unnecessary follow up with a radiation-emitting machine.
bioAffinity Technologies’ market cap is sitting at approximately US$10 million.
The oncology company closed a US$3.25-million-dollar offering in May consisting of over 10.1 million common shares.
CyPath Lung sales rose by 276 per cent year-over-year during the first quarter of this year but operating expenses exceeded revenue by US$2.6 million.
Read more: Breath Diagnostics leader speaks at lung cancer education event in Louisville
Read more: Breath Diagnostics takes aim at lung cancer with One Breath
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