Moncton–based Breathe BioMedical has expanded its multi-centre observational data collection study to include the Breast Health Research Unit (BHRU) at IWK Health in Halifax. IWK Health is helping advance the development of the company’s technology for the early detection of breast cancer for women with dense breasts, as an adjunct to mammography.

Researchers will compare the breath profiles of people with breast cancer and those without breast cancer, with the goal of identifying disease-specific patterns that can be used to aid in breast cancer detection.

Originally founded in 2005 as Picomole, Breathe BioMedical is also working with American research institutions, including the Mayo Clinic, George Washington University and Duke University. The data collection study, launched in February 2025, is expected to enroll as many as 800 participants across U.S. and Canadian sites.

“This study allows us to contribute high-quality data from a Nova Scotian population to a question that matters to every patient I see in clinic: whether a simple, non-invasive test can complement existing approaches to help us detect breast cancer sooner, particularly in women with dense breasts,” said Dr. Gregory Knapp, whose roles include Co-Director of the Breast Health Research Unit at IWK Health.

Preliminary analysis of Breathe BioMedical’s breast cancer proof-of-concept study, conducted in Saint John, found 88.2 per cent accuracy in differentiating between the breath signatures of women with early-stage breast cancer, compared to those without breast cancer, irrespective of breast density, the company said.

“As we expand our clinical study with new partners, we are accelerating the collection of reliable data to advance our technology,” said Bill Dawes, President and CEO of Breathe BioMedical.

Many women eligible for breast cancer screening have dense breast tissue. The interpretation of a mammogram is challenged by reduced visibility with dense breast tissue because both cancer and dense breast tissue appear white on a mammogram. Exhaled breath contains chemicals called Volatile Organic Compounds, which are a byproduct of metabolism and are excreted in breath. Breathe BioMedical’s Breath Sampler allows individuals to provide a sample which can be analyzed for combinations of disease-specific patterns.

While its immediate focus is breast cancer detection, the company says its breath-analysis platform could eventually be adapted for other cancers and diseases.