Owlstone Medical Featured in MedTech Insights
Published on: 18 Apr 2023, under Breath Biopsy
We are excited to see the launch of our new brand OMED Health featured in an article by MedTech Insights entitled “Owlstone Medical Launches Breath Biopsy Tests For GI Health”.
OMED Health is our new patient-facing platform for breath-based diagnostic tests targeting gastrointestinal conditions, including small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and carbohydrate malabsorption.
SIBO is a condition that is characterized by abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and diarrhea, and is typically treated with antibiotics such as rifaximin. It is diagnosed through a breath test or endoscopy. Carbohydrate malabsorption, which includes lactose intolerance, can also be diagnosed with breath tests. The gold standard for diagnosing carbohydrate malabsorption typically involves stool sampling.
Approximately 1 in 5 people in the UK will suffer from irritable bowel syndrome at some point, and about a third of them are estimated to have SIBO, and another significant fraction may have carbohydrate malabsorption. Testing all of these patients in-clinic represents a huge challenge for general practitioners, and OMED Health’s kits represent an easier, and potentially cheaper alternative. OMED Health is already testing patients from several different NHS trusts across the UK, as well as from private clinics, and has tested about 10,000 people in total with our test kits. As the CEO of OMED Health Billy Boyle states, “The fact they can be done from home has proven them hugely beneficial from a waitlist perspective.”
In summary, OMED Health’s breath-based tests offer an accurate, repeatable, and potentially cheaper alternative to traditional tests for GI conditions, which are prevalent in the UK population.
Our at-home OMED Health device is coming soon, using metal-oxide sensor technology to accurately detect hydrogen and methane levels in exhaled breath. Our tests are easily repeatable, making them beneficial for patients who require multiple doses of antibiotics and careful dietary management.
As Billy Boyle said: “The beauty of a device is that you get real-time results, and the incremental cost of analysis becomes effectively zero.” This highlights the importance of accurate and efficient diagnostic tools for patients and healthcare providers.
