Frequently Asked Questions
About the Technology
What is Exhaled Breath Condensate (EBC), and how does it work in diagnostics?
Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is exhaled breath that has been condensed using a cooling device such as the VosCryo™ breath collector. Once EBC has been collected it can be used to analyze several characteristics and biomarkers.
How does your EBC collector differ from others on the market?
Not only is our breath collector easy to use, but it is also fast and efficient. The handheld form factor allows the device to be small and portable with collection and delivery of EBC accomplished in under a minute.
Does the VosCryo™ system collect enough sample to detect and measure low-abundance biomarkers?
Yes! By analyzing the entire collected sample, relevant markers can be detected with a variety of analytical methods including PCR, LAMP and Mass Spectrometry.
Does your technology require any special training to use?
No. We have designed our device to be easy to use. For the person providing the sample is non-invasive and as easy as breathing for less than a minute. Delivering and processing the sample is as simple as dispensing from a syringe, directly into any detection device.
What detections methods are compatible with the VosCryo™ breath sampling?
EBC can be used to detect a wide range of biomarkers with many detection methods. Molecular tools such as PCR, LAMP, and sequencing can detect and identify nucleic acids. Mass Spectrometry has been employed to detect metabolites, toxins and other compounds. ELISA and other immunological methods have been used to study various proteins present in EBC. Breath is an extremely clean, versatile sample that is suitable to any analysis method.
Applications
What diseases or conditions can your EBC collector help research?
Our collector can help research a variety of respiratory diseases caused by pathogens, environmental, and genetic factors. Viral particles exhaled in the breath are captured by our device that can then be used for with common detection protocols such as PCR or LAMP. Environmental toxins including organic compounds and heavy metals can be detected by mass spectrometry. Gene mutations and changes in expression can be detected with next generation sequencing technology.
What is the difference between infected and infectious?
When a person is infected, a pathogen such as a virus, bacteria or fungus takes up residence within their body. While the immune system fights of the infection, the person may feel a range of symptoms. Cells or viral particles of the pathogen may accumulate in various tissues, such as the nose, and remain present for weeks or months.​
When someone is infectious, they are actively spreading more of the pathogen out of their body. For common respiratory illnesses such as the flu, covid, or RSV, this means they are exhaling copies of the virus in their breath. In many cases, a person is primarily spreading the infectious pathogen for a few days.
​In order to determine whether someone is likely to spread an illness, it is important to sample from the source of infectiousness, rather than measuring whether someone is infected.
What do asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic mean?
Asymptomatic means that somebody is not showing any symptoms of illness. COVID-19 is known to be asymptomatic in approximately 1 in 5 cases, meaning that somebody could be infected and infectious without ever feeling ill. This contributed to its rapid spread during the pandemic.​
Pre-symptomatic refers to the period of an infection before symptoms arise. Most symptoms of common respiratory illnesses are caused by the immune system's response, rather than the infection itself. This response can take a few days to develop after the person is initially infected. People are frequently infectious during this period.
How much virus does an infectious person exhale?
Various studies have measured different amounts of SARS-CoV-2 virus in exhaled breath, ranging from 1,000 - 30,000 copies of virus exhaled each minute. The highest amount of virus is typically exhaled in the first few days of infection, before symptoms arise. VosBio™ has detected a viral shed rate as high as 4,000 copies per minute in one asymptomatic individual.
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Other respiratory viruses are believed to have significantly higher rates of viral shedding.
How much virus in breath is needed to be detected?
VosBio™ has developed PCR and LAMP assays that can be used along with VosCryo™ breath samples to detect as low as 10-20 copies of virus shed per minute. This rate of viral shedding is not likely to infect others.
Logistics
How do I order your product or schedule a demo?
To order our product, please visit our shop page. To discuss alternative versions of the VosCryo™ breath collector to suit your needs, Contact us. We would love to hear from you!
What is the turnaround time for results using your device?
The turnaround time for results is determined by the detection protocol and device that is being used. Our in-house LAMP assay for covid returns a result within 15 minutes for highly infectious samples.
Are there specific storage or shipping conditions for your product?
The VosCryo is durable and not temperature sensitive. It can be shipped in standard packaging. Before use, the VosCryo™ collector must be frozen in a freezer for approximately 2 hours, but may be stored in the freezer indefinitely. Once frozen, the VosCryo™ breath collector can be stored with ice packs in a cooler or other insulated container for up to 8 hours before use.
Are replacement parts or consumables readily available?
The entire VosCryo™ system is fully disposable and intended for individual use. If you anticipate ongoing need for more breath collectors, please contact us!
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Research and Development
Are there publications or studies validating your technology?
There are a number of publications that speak to the use of EBC in diagnostics. One such paper comes from the Department of Neurology at Northwestern University. In their paper, they quantify the viral particles shed over the course of a covid infection using similar EBC capture technology. You can find their paper here.
Can your system be used for research beyond diagnostic purposes?
The VosCryo™ breath collection system can be used to research any aspect of Exhaled Breath Condensate (EBC). EBC reflects the status of the lungs and circulatory system, providing valuable information about a person's health. The only limitation is your experimental design.
Is your product FDA-approved or CE-marked?
Our product is currently not FDA-approved for diagnostic purposes.
Can it be used in clinical settings, or is it only for research use?
Currently our product is for research purposes only.
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Partnerships
Are you open to partnerships with other biotech companies or researchers?
Yes. We are open to for partnerships with other technology companies that are compatible with our technology to develop novel applications and markets. If you are interested in learning about our current partnerships, please email us at info@vosbio.com.
How can Mass Spectrometry companies collaborate with you?
Contact us directly!
What does In spiritu veritas mean?
​In breath, is truth.
Do you have an IP program in place?
​We have a comprehensive IP program on our device, chemistry, methods and applications.