Breathonix 60-Second COVID-19 Breath Test Powered by IONICON

Roll-out of PTR-TOF breath test with provisional authorization in Singapore.

Breathonix team in front of an IONICON PTR-TOF analyzer.

Image Credit: National University of Singapore

The easy-to-use breath test that can accurately detect COVID-19 within a minute has now received provisional authorization from Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA). The Breathonix BreFence™ Go COVID-19 Breath Test System, based on IONICON PTR-TOFMS and dedicated breath inlet system technology, is the first breath analysis system to secure provisional authorisation in Singapore. Breathonix is now working with the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) to run a deployment trial of their technology at an entry checkpoint where incoming travellers will undergo screening with the system.

BreFence™ Go has a accuracy of 85.7% sensitivity and 97% specificity with non-AI, Breathonix claims. Clinical trials are ongoing with AI (artificial intelligence) software to further improve accuracy. Each breath test is significantly more affordable than a PCR swab test and does not require a trained healthcare professional to operate.

The breath analysis system underwent clinical trials at three locations conducted from June 2020 to April 2021. In Singapore, trials were carried out at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases and Changi Airport while the third trial was carried out in Dubai, in collaboration with the Dubai Health Authority and the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

IONICON supports Breathonix with expert know-how in breath gas research and is the supplier of high-performance trace VOC analyzers (PTR-TOF) as well as dedicated breath sampling inlet systems (BET).