Breakthrough study strengthens evidence for non-invasive sampling of the lung’s small airways
An Australian study shows that PExA’s non-invasive lung sampling technology captures hundreds of proteins also found through invasive bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)—a resource-intensive procedure involving patient burden and procedural risks. The findings provide strong support for PExA’s ability to capture biologically relevant molecular information from the small airways. The company regards the study as a major scientific milestone that strengthens its commercial opportunities in lung research, biomarker discovery and drug development, with potential for future precision diagnostics.
Researchers at The Prince Charles Hospital and The University of Queensland in Brisbane compared samples collected using PExA with BAL samples from the same individuals. BAL is an established invasive method for sampling the distal lung and served as the reference in the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Biomolecules.
- By comparing samples from the same individuals, we found shared protein signals reflecting biologically relevant processes in the distal lung. What makes this particularly valuable is the ability to access this information non-invasively, says Dr Simon Apte, Chief Scientist at the Queensland Lung Transplant Service Research Laboratory at The Prince Charles Hospital.
PExA is already used internationally by academic researchers, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. The findings provide additional scientific support for its use and a foundation for broader research applications.
- For our customers in academia, healthcare, government agencies and the pharmaceutical industry, the origin and relevance of the sample material are crucial. The comparison with BAL provides strong support for PExA’s ability to capture biologically relevant information from the small airways. We see this as an important breakthrough that strengthens confidence in our technology. Across a large international research market, spanning occupational lung research, lung cancer research and drug development, we therefore now see further significant commercial opportunities to reach new customers and increase use among existing customers, says Tomas Gustafsson, CEO of PExA.
Non-invasive sampling of the small airways
PExA combines a specialized instrument with a sampling method and sample handling designed to collect tiny exhaled particles from the fluid lining the small airways. Participants follow a simple breathing procedure, without bronchoscopy or sedation, and the collected material is subsequently analyzed in the laboratory.
A clinical vision extending beyond silicosis
The Brisbane team’s research includes silicosis, a serious occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of respirable crystalline silica.
- Having worked with the technology and seen these results, I am fully convinced of its potential as a research tool. We see opportunities beyond silicosis to investigate how different lung diseases develop and how patients respond to treatment. For people exposed to silica, our longer-term ambition is to identify molecular warning signs early enough to support action before irreversible damage occurs, says Professor Daniel Chambers, a lung transplant physician and interstitial lung disease specialist at The Prince Charles Hospital and The University of Queensland.
Supporting broader use in research and drug development
Repeated molecular sampling of the small airways is challenging when it relies on invasive procedures. PExA could make it more practical to follow biological changes in the same person over time and include larger groups and healthy reference populations in research studies.
Such molecular information could complement lung function tests and imaging, helping researchers investigate the biological processes underlying disease and differences in treatment response.
Potential research applications include:
- Biomarker discovery: identifying molecular signals associated with disease and progression, including the ability to utilize healthy control cohorts.
- Drug development: investigating drug exposure and biological responses in the lung, including longitudinal monitoring during clinical trials.
- Precision medicine: developing biomarkers to distinguish patient groups and support treatment selection.
- Diagnostics and monitoring: developing approaches to earlier detection and tracking disease and treatment response.
Although the current study focused on proteins, PExA also supports research into lipids and other molecular components.
A scientific milestone for PExA
The study found correlated protein signal patterns between PExA and BAL samples. Shared proteins included those associated with surfactant biology, immune defense, inflammation and fibrosis.
- Establishing that the biological material collected using PExA originates from the small airways has been a central objective since the company was founded. While several lines of indirect evidence have accumulated over the years, this study now provides direct evidence, across hundreds of protein analytes, that PExA samples share biologically relevant molecular features with matched BAL samples, which reflect the biology of the distal lung. These findings substantially strengthen the scientific foundation of our technology and support its further development to address the unmet need for earlier and more precise diagnosis of lung disease, says Jörgen Östling, Chief Scientific Officer at PExA.
About the study
The study compared matched PExA and BAL samples from three individuals with silicosis using the SomaScan 11K proteomics platform.
Between 343 and 688 protein analytes were detected in both sample types per participant, with correlated cross-protein signal patterns (Pearson r = 0.48–0.71). Of the 162 protein analytes detected in all three PExA samples, 131 (81%) were also detected in all three BAL samples. This overlap was four times that expected under random selection from the assay panel.
The research was supported by The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, with which PExA has an existing instrument rental and data-sharing agreement.
Publication
Knuckey et al. Non-Invasive Distal Airway Proteomics by Particles in Exhaled Air (PExA) Sampling Demonstrates Shared Proteomic Features with Matched Bronchoalveolar Lavage. Biomolecules. 2026;16(10):1396.
https://doi.org/10.3390/biom16101396
For further information, please contact:
Tomas Gustafsson
Email: info@pexa.se
About PExA AB
PExA AB (corporate registration number 556956-9246) has developed PExA 2.1, a patented research instrument that helps researchers collect biological samples from the smallest airways in a smart way through a simple exhalation manoeuvre. PExA’s technology is currently used by leading research groups in several countries, and research using the instrument has resulted in approximately 60 scientific publications, which serve as reference material for PExA’s method. The company’s long-term objective is to market and sell diagnostic instruments for common diseases, such as lung cancer and COPD, for use globally in diagnosis or general screening at healthcare facilities. By the time sales to clinics become relevant, the company intends to have developed more convenient, commercially viable products for use closer to the patient. This would enable PExA to address a substantially broader market, currently encompassing many millions of patients worldwide.
PExA’s B share is listed on Spotlight Stock Market.
This is an automatically generated English translation of the original Swedish press release. In the event of any discrepancy, the Swedish version prevails.