Moncton-based Picomole Inc., which is developing a breath analysis device that detects cancer, said yesterday its technology has produced preliminary accuracy of 98.5% in independent trials, which it believes makes it a world leader in detecting lung cancer.

The company has a working, portable prototype of its breathalyzer-like device that can detect lung cancer by identifying markers in breath samples and is spending 2013 performing clinical studies on the device and its infrared-based method of detecting cancer.

 In a press release Wednesday, the company said it had conducted a pilot study of 40 clinical samples, including those from patients with pulmonary diseases. The samples were analyzed using Laser Infrared Sample Analysis, or LISA, a new analytical method recently patented by Picomole scientists.

“The non-invasive breath test for lung cancer has a preliminary sensitivity of 100 percent and specificity of 97 percent,” said Picomole Founder and CEO John Cormier in an email. “Picomole is not aware of any test with better reported accuracy for the detection of lung cancer.”

Added Dr. Ali Mahtabifard, an expert in minimally invasive surgery for lung cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles: "The clinical significance of such a test cannot be overstated."

Picomole explained in the press release that most lung cancers do not cause any symptoms until they have spread too far to be cured, and that current detection technologies are inadequate for mass screening. As a result, lung cancer kills about 1.4 million people worldwide annually.

"In the foreseeable future, a Picomole breath test could become an important tool in the fight against lung cancer, one that is safe, low-cost, and does not expose patients to radiation," Michael Tripp, Picomole Vice-President of Corporate Development, said in the statement.

Picomole is now making several improvements to its methodology and will soon announce an expanded clinical study.

In an interview in January, Cormier said the company was examining launching the product in foreign markets, most likely in Latin America or Asia. He also said Picomole was working on a $1.2 million fundraising effort.