If you are a diagnostic hardware developer dealing with low patient compliance for invasive swabs — this project developed AveloCollect and AveloMask that provide a non-invasive way to capture respiratory aerosols. This improves the user experience and increases the volume of usable samples for molecular testing.
Non-invasive Breath Sampling Devices for Rapid Respiratory Infection Diagnosis and Screening
Imagine if you could detect a lung infection just by breathing into a tube instead of needing a painful swab or a deep cough sample. This project creates a special 'breath catcher' that grabs tiny droplets from your exhale to find germs like TB or Flu. It turns a simple breath into a high-quality sample that machines can read quickly and accurately.
What needed solving
Current sampling methods for respiratory infections are often suboptimal or invasive, which limits the effectiveness of high-sensitivity molecular diagnostics and slows down pandemic response.
What was built
Two sampling devices: AveloCollect (blow-tube) and AveloMask (face mask), both produced via ISO 13485 pilot manufacturing.
Who needs this
Who can put this to work
If you are a national health screening agency dealing with the high cost of pandemic monitoring — this project developed a multiplexing XBA sampling method that detects TB, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 simultaneously. This reduces the number of tests needed per patient during mass screenings.
If you are a point-of-care testing laboratory dealing with slow turnaround times for drug-resistance testing — this project developed an XBA sampling device coupled with rapid molecular detection. This allows for faster identification of drug-resistant tuberculosis in symptomatic patients.
Quick answers
What is the cost-effectiveness of these devices?
Based on available project data, the project is conducting cost-effectiveness and impact modelling to inform the implementation potential across different use cases.
Can these devices be produced at an industrial scale?
Yes, Avelo has already established pilot manufacturing for both the AveloCollect and AveloMask devices under an ISO 13485 quality management system.
Who owns the IP or licensing rights?
Based on available project data, the specific IP and licensing terms are not disclosed, but the technology is being developed by a consortium including industry partners and Avelo.
How does the device integrate with existing lab workflows?
The devices are designed to be coupled with rapid molecular detection, using liquid elution and extraction to prepare samples for analysis.
What is the timeline for clinical validation?
The project runs from 2024-01-01 to 2026-12-31, with clinical studies integrated into the project goals to assess accuracy and feasibility.
Who built it
The consortium is highly balanced for commercialization, featuring a 40% industry ratio with 2 industrial partners and 1 SME. The presence of a dedicated SME (Avelo) focusing on ISO 13485 pilot manufacturing suggests a strong push toward market entry, supported by academic and research partners from 5 countries (DE, CH, IT, RO, ZA) to ensure global clinical validity.
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Contact us to explore licensing opportunities for XBA sampling technology.