Engineering news
The ReCIVA Breath Sampler allows earlier diagnosis across cancer, inflammatory disease and infectious disease, and could save the global healthcare system an estimated $1.5bn.
The Cambridge-based team includes co-founder and CEO Billy Boyle (pictured), co-founder and COO David Ruiz-Alonso, chief science officer Max Allsworth, vice-president of engineering Alastair Taylor, and Matthew Hart, vice-president of research and development.
They collected the MacRobert Award gold medal and a £50,000 prize at the Royal Academy of Engineering’s awards dinner at the Tower of London last night.
Their device detects the unique chemical biomarkers of a variety of diseases, known as volatile organic compounds, in human breath. It is the first platform capable of doing so in a robust and reproducible way, opening up the possibility of earlier diagnosis and better monitoring of treatment outcomes.
Owlstone Medical faced stiff competition for the prize from Oxford Space Systems, which is developing origami-inspired cost-effective satellites, and Williams Advanced Engineering and Aerofoil Energy, which have created an aerodynamic technology that reduces energy consumption in supermarket fridges.
“All three finalists showed outstanding innovation, and I am sure they will change the way we live, and how businesses operate, for years to come – whether that be by enhancing the space sector, helping companies slash energy consumption, or by improving healthcare,” said Dame Sue Ion, chair of the MacRobert Award judging panel.
“Owlstone Medical stood out because of the extraordinary engineering its breath sampler, and the associated breath biopsy platform, required to bring these technologies to life. The company has demonstrated exceptional innovation at every stage of development; from the mask used to help capture breath, the tubes that help collect the samples, to the software and hardware designed to ensure the tests are reliable and repeatable.
“Owlstone Medical has now created a device that is dependable and non-intrusive, and has the potential to revolutionise the way we diagnose and treat a vast array of diseases. The societal benefit is clear to see, and I believe they could realise their vision of saving more than a billion dollars in global healthcare costs and saving hundreds of thousands of lives.”