Cambridge-headquartered Owlstone Medical, co-founded by Billy Boyle, David Ruiz-Alonso, and Andrew Koehl in 2004 as a spin-out from the University of Cambridge’s Engineering Department, has been awarded up to $49.1 million from the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Owlstone Medical was spun out from Owlstone Inc. in 2016 to focus on clinical diagnostics using their patented Breath Biopsy technology.
The company is known for its Breath Biopsy technology, which uses the measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath as non-invasive biomarkers for disease detection. This technology builds on a miniature chemical sensor platform based on Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS) for high-sensitivity chemical detection.
Owlstone’s Breath Biopsy platform includes the proprietary ReCIVA® Breath Sampler, which standardises breath collection by precisely capturing specific fractions of exhaled breath enriched with VOCs. Carbon dioxide and pressure sensors monitor breathing patterns, directing samples into Breath Biopsy cartridges for analysis.
Collected VOCs are analysed using advanced high-resolution mass spectrometry, such as Orbitrap GC-MS, allowing sensitive detection of VOC biomarkers at ultra-low concentrations. This captures a broad chemical snapshot reflecting systemic metabolome changes, enabling detection of diseases, including cancer. The non-invasive sampling takes roughly one minute, with results processed within 72 hours.
POSEIDON Program: Early multi-cancer detection at home
The funding supports Owlstone’s Platform Optimising SynBio for Early Intervention and Detection in Oncology (POSEIDON) program. POSEIDON aims to develop first-in-class synthetic sensor–based Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) tests capable of detecting more than 30 solid tumours at Stage I through breath and urine samples collected at home or clinics. A single-use inhaler delivers synthetic sensors that attach to cancer cells, emitting DNA barcodes and VOC signatures linked to 36 different cancers.
“The field of cancer screening needs a revolution, and POSEIDON stands ready to deliver. The program allows for a better future by creating broadly accessible, at-home tests that will accurately detect 30+ cancers as early as Stage I, when tumours are still small and the chances of survival are high,” said POSEIDON Program Manager Ross Uhrich, DMD, MBA.
“This revolutionary funding effort brings together experts in synthetic biology, oncology, medical devices, big cancer data, and commercialisation to create test kits that will transform how and when people are screened for cancer. POSEIDON will allow every American the opportunity to test themselves long before they have symptoms and at their discretion,” added Uhrich.
Tackling late-stage cancer diagnoses
Nearly 40% of Americans will face cancer in their lifetime, and detecting it early is often the key to survival. The number of new cancer diagnoses in 2025 is estimated to be more than 2 million, with over 618,000 cancer deaths, equivalent to almost 1,700 deaths every day.
Treating cancer at advanced stages is not only more difficult but also more expensive. Owlstone’s project aims to solve this by identifying cancer at its earliest stages, when treatment is most effective.
Consequently, the company is partnering with several major research institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston University, Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Qurin B.V., and Planned Systems International Inc.
How does it work?
The POSEIDON project uses a single-use inhaler to deliver synthetic sensors that circulate through the body, binding to cancer cells. These sensors provide information as DNA barcodes and VOCs, identifying multiple cancers from breath and urine samples collected at home or clinics. Results are uploaded in real-time to electronic health records (EHR) for rapid clinical review.
This approach enhances early detection capabilities, offers easy non-invasive sample collection, produces rapid results, and integrates seamlessly with existing healthcare data systems. Low-cost manufacturing further ensures accessibility as a new early cancer detection standard.
Billy Boyle, co-founder and CEO at Owlstone Medical, said: “Access to an accurate and low-cost MCED test that does not require a doctor’s visit or laboratory testing is key to preventing late-stage diagnoses. This award validates both breath as a diagnostic approach and Owlstone’s EVOC probes as a reporter technology to overcome the shortcomings and challenges that have held back early cancer detection previously.”
