PExA highlights the potential for early detection of lung diseases at Life Science Day – presentation now available online
At Life Science Day in Gothenburg on March 4, Tomas Gustafsson, CEO of PExA AB, presented the company’s technology for collecting biological material from the small airways through analysis of particles in exhaled air. A recording of the presentation is now available online.
PExA’s instrument enables non-invasive sampling from the smallest airways of the lung—an area where many lung diseases originate, but which is difficult to access using conventional diagnostic methods. This is also a key reason why many lung diseases today are detected at relatively late stages, when treatment options are often more limited.
- A major challenge in respiratory medicine is the lack of effective tools for early detection. Many diseases begin in the distal parts of the lung, in the small airways, which current diagnostic methods often cannot reach, says Tomas Gustafsson, CEO of PExA AB.
By having the patient perform a specific breathing manoeuvre, microscopic particles are generated from the lining fluid in the deepest regions of the lungs. These particles are collected by the PExA instrument and can subsequently be analysed for biomarkers, providing new insights into disease processes in the lung.
- Earlier detection of lung diseases can in many cases lead to significantly improved treatment outcomes and increased chances of cure. Our ambition is to contribute to tools that enable identification of disease processes at an earlier stage than what is possible today, says Tomas Gustafsson.
Today, the technology is used by researchers, authorities and pharmaceutical companies worldwide to study lung diseases such as COPD, lung cancer and occupational lung diseases. An increasing number of research projects now aim to translate this knowledge into practical applications—for example by identifying biomarkers for earlier diagnosis or by studying how drugs reach and act in the lungs.
- We see growing interest from both academia and the pharmaceutical industry in using PExA technology for biomarker studies as well as for investigating drug effects in the lung, for example within pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, says Tomas Gustafsson.
The company has also recently made progress across several strategic areas. Among other developments, a patent application has been filed related to biomarker patterns with potential for early detection of lung cancer, based on research conducted in collaboration with academic partners.
A recording of the presentation from Life Science Day is now available online:
Click here or on the image to watch the presentation, English subtitles can be enabled via YouTube’s automatic caption and translation function.
The presentation provides an overview of PExA’s technology and how analysis of biological material from the small airways may contribute to new insights into lung diseases and future diagnostic approaches.
For further information, please contact:
Tomas Gustafsson, CEO, info@pexa.se
About PExA AB:
PExA AB PExA AB (556956-9246) has developed the PExA 2.1, a patented research instrument that helps researchers intelligently collect biological samples from the smallest airways through a simple exhalation maneuver. PExA’s technology is currently used by prominent research groups in several different countries and research with the instrument has resulted in approximately 50 scientific publications, which serve as reference material for PExA’s method. The company’s long-term goal is to market and sell diagnostic instruments for popular diseases (e.g. lung cancer and COPD) to be used globally for diagnosis or general screening at facilities where care is offered. The company intends at the time it is relevant to sell to clinics to have developed more patient-friendly, flexible and commercial products, which means that PExA addresses a significantly wider market, which today includes several million patients globally.
PExA’s B share is listed on the Spotlight Stock Market.