Latest news with #SpotitEarly
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
SpotitEarly Breath Test Uses AI And Dogs For Early Cancer Detection
SpotitEarly CEO Shlomi Madar with his late grandfather The next breakthrough in cancer screening is emerging from the convergence of artificial intelligence and canine biology. That's the thesis behind SpotitEarly, a startup that recently launched in the U.S. with $20 million in funding. The company's hybrid platform combines trained dogs with artificial intelligence to deliver an early cancer detection breath test with 94% accuracy, targeting breast, colorectal, prostate and lung cancers. More than 70% of cancers are still diagnosed after symptoms appear—when survival rates plummet. In the U.S., the average cancer screening rate among eligible adults remains below 60%, despite massive investments in awareness and infrastructure. And while diagnostics innovation has exploded, access has not. Many tools are either cost-prohibitive, unproven, or designed for a healthcare experience that caters to the few. In an era where longevity startups cater to the 1% with concierge diagnostics and $2,500 full-body scans, SpotitEarly is flipping the script. Its goal: to bring cutting-edge early detection to the millions who never make it to screening in time—not just those with the means to optimize wellness. SpotitEarly are beagles trained to detect cancer. SpotitEarly is poised to shake up a diagnostics market plagued by high costs, access disparities and screening inertia—with a scientifically validated, double-blind clinical trial to back it. 'After years in cancer care, I've seen firsthand how late diagnoses steal lives. SpotitEarly is changing that. By combining AI with a dog's powerful sense of smell, they're making early detection for multiple cancers faster, more accessible, and more affordable than anything I've seen in the field. This is a true breakthrough—and a chance to save lives at scale,' said Dr. David Sidransky, Professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins Medical School and current advisory board member at SpotitEarly. Revolutionizing Non-Invasive Cancer Screening With Dogs And AI SpotitEarly enables users to collect a breath sample at home and mail it to the company's lab. There, trained beagles detect cancer-linked volatile organic compounds (VOCs), while the company's LUCID platform digitizes the dogs' behavioral data and uses AI to interpret the results. The company's approach was tested in a double-blind clinical trial involving 1,400 participants in Israel, conducted in collaboration with Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Rambam Health Care Campus and Hadassah Medical Center. Neither the dog trainers, sample handlers, AI system operators, nor analysts knew whether the samples came from individuals with cancer or healthy controls. All samples were randomized, anonymized and processed independently to ensure clean, unbiased results. The study achieved 94% sensitivity and specificity across four major cancers—breast, colorectal, prostate and lung—and the results were published in Scientific Reports in November 2024. SpotitEarly Founder and CEO Shlomi Madar 'This wasn't an anecdotal pilot,' said CEO Shlomi Madar, PhD. 'We conducted a rigorous, double-blind, multi-site trial with academic partners to validate our platform scientifically. That level of proof is what makes us different from the many promising but unproven efforts in this space.' In the end, SpotitEarly isn't just about better diagnostics—it's about giving families more time together. Why Can Dogs Detect Cancer Better Than Machines Alone? Dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors—tens of thousands more than humans. They can detect scent at concentrations as low as parts per trillion, which is why they've long been used to find explosives, contraband and even viral infections. Decades of studies have shown that dogs can identify the presence of cancer by smell, often before clinical symptoms appear. SpotitEarly is among the first to pair that natural ability with digital infrastructure and machine learning. Each canine's sniffing behavior is tracked by sensors and algorithms that quantify subtle physiological cues, such as sniff duration, hesitation or posture. These data streams power the company's proprietary LUCID platform, which converts biological inputs into a structured diagnostic signal. SpotitEarly estimates that one canine-AI lab can process over one million samples annually, with turnaround times of just a few days. A Mission Rooted In Personal Loss And Innovation What began as a search for better diagnostics became his introduction to a company grounded in biology, technology and accessibility. For Shlomi Madar, PhD, the pursuit of earlier cancer detection is deeply personal. He lost his grandfather to cancer, a diagnosis that came only after symptoms had already advanced. By then, treatment options were limited, and time was short. SpotitEarly CEO Dr. Shlomi Madar with his late grandparents Losing him at a relatively young age was devastating for Shlomi's family – but ultimately sparked his passion for cancer research. Learning of their shared vision to leverage their unique skills in a groundbreaking venture for the greater good, Shlomi joined the 4 founders of SpotitEarly, whose team discovered the untapped potential of canine scent detection—and the power of pairing it with machine learning to create a scalable, noninvasive diagnostic platform. Their mission was to make early detection accessible to everyone, not just the fortunate few. SpotitEarly plans to make its at-home cancer detection test available directly to customers through a physician network starting in 2026. A single-cancer test will cost about $250, while a comprehensive panel for all four cancers will cost around $500. No clinic visit or specialist referral is required. The company will continue to partner with health systems and research institutions to enhance accessibility and validate its technology. If a breath test detects potential cancer biomarkers, users will receive clear, secure results along with guidance on what to do next. Results can be easily shared with a physician, who can then recommend diagnostic follow-ups and a personalized care plan. The product is not yet covered by insurance, though the company is in active conversations with payers. Even without reimbursement, SpotitEarly's pricing undercuts most early detection tools. It's positioned as a low-barrier, high-sensitivity option, particularly attractive for younger or underserved patients who may not qualify for traditional screenings. The at-home format eliminates friction. Users receive a kit, provide a breath sample in minutes and return it by mail. Results will be delivered within days. The early detection market is growing rapidly, with players like Grail's Galleri offering liquid biopsies and startups like Prenuvo providing full-body MRI scans. But these approaches are often expensive, inaccessible, or both. Prenuvo's scans cost between $1,000 and $2,500 (and up to $4,000 in premium markets), and they are typically not covered by insurance. Appointments require travel to specialized imaging centers and can take over an hour to complete. While comprehensive, the model primarily caters to the 1%—those investing in concierge diagnostics and longevity-focused wellness, rather than scalable population health tools. SpotitEarly offers a more targeted and affordable solution. Its test is: It also avoids one of the most cited concerns about full-body scans: overdiagnosis. These scans can detect benign anomalies that trigger unnecessary follow-ups and patient anxiety. SpotitEarly's method focuses on cancers with the most robust breath-based biomarkers and the clearest public health benefits when detected early. As Madar noted in a recent interview, 'Prenuvo costs patients around $2,500. Most Americans can't cover a $1,000 emergency expense.' SpotitEarly is betting that affordability, not abundance, is the future of early detection. The company has raised $20.3 million to date from backers including Hanaco Ventures, Jeff Swartz (former CEO of Timberland), and Avishai Abrahami (cofounder of Wix). Funds are being used to scale U.S. operations, conduct further validation studies and prepare for commercial rollout in 2026. SpotitEarly's use of dogs and data may seem unconventional—even a little unexpected—but the implications are anything but light. The company is tackling one of the most persistent failures in healthcare: the gap between innovation and access. Despite decades of investment in awareness and infrastructure, over 70% of cancers are still diagnosed after symptoms appear—when outcomes are far worse. In the U.S., fewer than 60% of eligible adults get the screenings they need. Meanwhile, diagnostics innovation has surged, but too often it's priced for exclusivity, not equity. Where companies like Prenuvo serve the 1% with concierge scans and longevity optimization, SpotitEarly is building for the other 99%—those for whom early detection is not just a wellness upgrade, but a matter of survival. Its breath-based platform offers a rare blend of scientific rigor, scalability, and affordability. If the model holds, SpotitEarly won't just catch cancer earlier—it could reshape how health systems approach prevention, precision, and who innovation is actually designed for. In a healthcare landscape where flashy technology often outpaces clinical validation, SpotitEarly flips the script—starting with biology, validating it with science, and scaling it through tech. SpotitEarly's use of dogs and data may seem unconventional—even a little unexpected—but the implications are anything but light. The company is tackling one of the most persistent failures in healthcare: the gap between innovation and access. Despite decades of investment in awareness and infrastructure, over 70% of cancers are still diagnosed after symptoms appear, when outcomes are far worse. In the U.S., fewer than 60% of eligible adults get the screenings they need. Meanwhile, diagnostics innovation has surged, but too often it's priced for exclusivity, not equity. Where companies like Prenuvo serve the 1% with concierge scans and longevity optimization, SpotitEarly is building for the other 99%—those for whom early detection is not just a wellness upgrade, but a matter of survival. Its breath-based platform offers a rare blend of scientific rigor, scalability, and affordability. Read more in Forbes about how AI Is Catching What Mammograms Miss and a Blood Test Could Detect Cancer Up To Seven Years Earlier
New York Post
23-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
New home test can detect cancer — thanks to puppies who sniff it out
Howl-elujah! You've probably heard that dogs can be trained to sniff out cancer. Now, Israeli startup SpotItEarly is harnessing that remarkable ability — along with groundbreaking technology — to launch medicine's next secret weapon. 5 SpotItEarly is developing a revolutionary at-home cancer screening test that's part pup, part AI. Courtesy of SpotitEarly Inc The biotech company is developing a revolutionary at-home cancer screening test that's part pup, part AI. Here's how it works: You order a test that arrives at your door, breathe into a high-tech mask that resembles an N95 for three minutes and mail the sample to SpotItEarly's lab. There, a team of professionally trained dogs will give it a good sniff — and if there's any cancer present, they'll know. 'Our dogs are natural workers and love being mentally stimulated by their sense of smell. Training them to detect odors wasn't a challenge; it is in their nature,' Shlomi Madar, CEO of SpotitEarly, told The Post. 'With around 250-300 million receptors, a dog's sense of smell is estimated to be between 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than a human's. That is what makes them highly effective for scent-based tasks, such as those in police forces or for detecting diseases in humans.' 5 These good boys will give your sample a good sniff — and if there's any cancer present, they'll know. Courtesy of SpotitEarly Inc According to Madar, the dogs make their diagnosis by detecting cancer odor signatures in a patient's volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — biological information from the blood in our lungs that travels into the air we exhale. As incredible as these pup-fessional super-sniffers are, the real magic happens when canine intelligence meets artificial intelligence. 'As the detection dogs are sniffing the samples in the lab, we use our proprietary AI platform, LUCID, to track and analyze their physiological and behavioral signals, collecting thousands of data points per second,' Madar explained. 'LUCID will generate a positive lab result if a cancer signature is identified in a sample. This fusion of advanced technology with the extraordinary olfactory abilities of canines enables each sample to be screened in a fraction of a second, making the solution highly scalable.' 5 As incredible as these pup-fessional super-sniffers are, the real magic happens when canine intelligence meets artificial intelligence. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The goal is to spot cancers earlier, when they're easier and cheaper to treat. 'Too often, cancer diagnoses come too late,' Madar said. 'Our goal is to reduce late-stage and potentially fatal cancer diagnoses. The data is clear: when we detect cancer earlier, we significantly improve survival rates and outcomes.' The test, which is in late-stage development, is expected to hit the market in 2026 with an estimated price tag of $250. That's per cancer type, with bundled discounts for multi-cancer screenings. 'We plan to work with health insurers to cover the test to reduce the financial burden on patients,' he said. 'Once it becomes commercially available, this will be a high priority for us.' In a recent clinical study, SpotItEarly's cancer-screening method clocked a 94% accuracy. 5 'Too often, cancer diagnoses come too late,' Shlomi Madar, CEO of SpotitEarly, told The Post. Getty Images If it works, it may save you a trip to the doctor and an unpleasant procedure. 'Many individuals avoid routine cancer screenings because they can be uncomfortable and invasive,' Madar said. 'By simplifying the process to a self-administered screening test where users just breathe into a mask, [this] levels that barrier and encourages more proactive testing.' Research has found that only 14% of cancers in the US are diagnosed by a traditional screening test. While SpotItEarly is not looking to replace them, Madar said he does want to 'improve the cancer diagnosis and treatment ecosystem, shifting it from sick care to true health care.' Now — back to the dogs. 5 'Our dogs are not lab animals; they're truly a part of the SpotItEarly team,' he said. Courtesy of SpotitEarly Inc The pups work a few hours a day in teams and they're rewarded with treats and love. When they're off the clock, they get outdoor playtime, belly rubs and plenty of human attention. And when they retire? They're adopted into loving homes — often by the very people who worked with them. 'Our dogs are not lab animals; they're truly a part of the SpotItEarly team,' Madar said. And while cancer is the priority for now — especially as it's mysteriously on the rise in younger people — Madar believes the tech could one day help sniff out other diseases too, including Parkinson's and serious infections. 'We aim to make early diagnosis the norm, consequently increasing the chances of survival at scale,' he said.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Breakthrough as dogs sniff out cancer before symptoms even appear
Tel Aviv: Israeli scientists are harnessing the power of dogs to sniff out cancer before symptoms even appear, Assuta Medical Centers announced on Wednesday. The new method, developed by Tel Aviv-based startup SpotitEarly, features dogs guided by artificial intelligence to identify cancer at its early, more treatable stages. In tests at Assuta Ramat HaHayal Hospital in Tel Aviv, specially trained beagles showed a 94 per cent accuracy rate at catching four of the most common types of cancers. "This is a tool with the potential to save lives," said Gidi Leshetz, CEO of Assuta Medical Centers, which is running the study through its innovation arm, RISE. "It is non-invasive, simple, and, most importantly, has the power to create real change for patients. Early detection has been proven to save lives." Many cancers are diagnosed too late when treatment is more difficult and less effective. SpotitEarly's test offers a new path that is painless, affordable, and scalable. Patients simply breathe into a face mask for three minutes. The mask is then sent to a lab, where specially trained Beagle dogs sniff the sample under the watch of an AI system. Each breath sample is checked multiple times -- three to five times per patient -- to ensure high reliability. To date, over 1,400 participants, mostly aged 40 to 70, have undergone the test. The system currently detects lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers, which are together responsible for about half of all new cancer diagnoses globally. SpotitEarly aims to expand detection to more cancer types in the future. "This is a breakthrough that enhances our ability to detect malignancies early, when the chances of successful treatment are greatest," said Prof. Meirav Ben-David, head of the Oncology Institute at Assuta. "Because the test is non-invasive and painless, it can be performed frequently and tailored to an individual's personal risk factors." SpotitEarly, which holds a US patent for the technology, has raised over USD 8 million to date, including investments from the Menomadin Foundation and Hanko Ventures. "We are proud and excited about our collaboration with Assuta," said Ariel Ben Dayan, co-founder of SpotitEarly. "SpotitEarly was founded on the understanding that early cancer detection can save many lives, and combining cutting-edge technology with natural capabilities developed over millions of years is the most effective approach to solving this challenge." Merav Galili, CEO of the Menomadin Foundation, believes this method could reshape cancer detection worldwide. "SpotitEarly's unique development may lead to a global breakthrough in the early detection of the most common types of cancer," she said. "We've been working with the company from its earliest stages, driven by the mission to improve and strengthen the field of early detection--a mission that can save millions of lives." The new method is suitable for regular check-ups, especially for individuals at higher risk of cancer, without the discomfort or cost of invasive procedures like biopsies or colonoscopies. Its scalability opens doors for mass screening campaigns, even in areas with little access to medical equipment. Moreover, used alongside imaging and blood tests, dogs could reduce false positives/negatives, and guide doctors on whether more invasive testing is necessary.
