60-second Covid-19 breath test gets HSA’s provisional go-ahead, to be trialled at Tuas Checkpoint

• A breath test developed by start-up Breathonix can detect Covid-19 in a minute
• It requires a person to blow into a disposable mouthpiece
• The exhaled breath is then collected, measured and analysed 
• It will be tested as part of a trial at Tuas Checkpoint, which is set to start in a few days

SINGAPORE — A breath test that can detect within a minute if a person is infected by the coronavirus causing Covid-19 has received provisional authorisation from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

Developed by Breathonix — a spin-off from the National University of Singapore (NUS) — the BreFence Go Covid Breath Test System is the first breath analysis system to receive provisional authorisation here, NUS and Breathonix announced on Monday (May 24). 

Breathonix is working with the Ministry of Health to run a deployment trial at Tuas Checkpoint, which is set to start in a few days.

Incoming travellers will undergo the breath test, which will be done alongside a compulsory Covid-19 antigen rapid test, the university and Breathonix said in a statement.

Responding to TODAY’s queries, Breathonix said that the cost of each test ranges from S$5 to S$20, depending on the quantity of tests done.

Unlike standard Covid-19 tests that entail inserting a swab into a person’s nose or mouth, Breathonix’s breath test requires an individual to blow into a disposable valve mouthpiece.

The exhaled breath is collected, measured and analysed for volatile organic compounds, which are produced by various biochemical reactions in human cells. 

The signature of these compounds varies between a healthy person’s breath and that of someone with an illness. Thus, changes in the compounds can be measured as markers for diseases such as Covid-19.

The exhaled breath is fed into an apparatus. A software algorithm then analyses the biomarkers and generates results in under a minute. 

Anyone who tests positive for the coronavirus must undergo a polymerase chain reaction swab test to confirm the infection.

Dr Jia Zhunan, chief executive officer of Breathonix, said: “Our breath test is non-invasive. Users only need to breathe out normally into the disposable mouthpiece provided, so there will not be any discomfort.

“Cross-contamination is unlikely as the disposable mouthpiece has a one-way valve and a saliva trap to prevent inhalation or saliva from entering the machine.”

NUS and Breathonix said that the breath test is easy to administer by trained healthcare workers, but does not require medically trained professionals or laboratory processing.

The system underwent clinical trials from June last year to April this year.

The first two trials were at Singapore’s National Centre for Infectious Diseases and Changi Airport.

A third trial was done in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as part of a tie-up with the Dubai Health Authority and the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Three NUS graduates — Dr Jia, Mr Du Fang and Mr Wayne Wee Shi Jie — and Dr Jia’s doctoral adviser, Professor T Venky Venkatesan, founded Breathonix.

STRONG COMMERCIAL INTEREST

NUS and Breathonix said that there was strong commercial interest in the system, and that the company was in talks with Singapore-based and overseas organisations.

Breathonix is supported by the NUS Graduate Research Innovation Programme, a scheme that supports deep-technology start-ups by its graduate students and research staff members. Deep-tech start-ups are those relying on advanced scientific research.

Professor Freddy Boey, NUS’ deputy president for innovation and enterprise who leads the scheme, said: “Securing provisional authorisation in Singapore is a major milestone for Breathonix, and NUS is very proud of this achievement by our start-up.”