Canadian-based Noze, a company working on breath-based diagnostics, has secured a $5 million equity investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This investment anchors a new funding round for the breath-based diagnostics startup. The funding follows two previous grants from the foundation, bringing its total contribution to $6.8 million.
The funding will support further development of Noze’s disease detection platform for deployment in low and middle-income countries, where it promises to significantly impact the fight against infectious diseases. This advancement is particularly significant for women’s health, as women often face unique barriers in accessing healthcare, especially in these regions. Conditions such as cancer, which can be detected through biomarkers in the breath, disproportionately affect women and often go undiagnosed due to limited screening options. The portability and non-invasive nature of DiagNoze mean that women in remote or underserved areas can receive timely and accurate diagnoses, facilitating earlier treatment and improving health outcomes.
“Our handheld diagnostic breathalyzer, DiagNoze, uses the world’s leading and only digital odor perception technology to detect disease biomarkers in the breath,” explained Noze CEO Karim Aly. “This device will allow for real-time detection of serious illnesses such as cancers and infectious diseases, along with other clinical conditions, without requiring blood draws, lab equipment, or visits to healthcare facilities. DiagNoze is a low-cost, completely noninvasive, and fully portable device that can be used in any point-of-care, even a patient’s home.”
Aly went on to explain that traditional diagnostic tools are not only more invasive but also tend to be costly and involve long wait times due to specialized equipment and heavy demand. This has exacerbated the healthcare accessibility gap, particularly in underserved and rural areas. However, DiagNoze is designed to transcend geographical and economic boundaries, enabling earlier diagnosis, timely treatment, and improved health outcomes.
“We’re thrilled the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting our efforts to deliver a radically new approach to diagnostics,” Aly noted. “This investment will help Noze advance its mission to improve global health by transforming the way healthcare is delivered, ensuring that everyone, regardless of location or economic status, has access to state-of-the-art diagnostic tools.”
