Metabolomx, a diagnostic company focused on breath analysis for the detection of cancer, has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The $1.14 million combined phase I/II Fast-Track contract will support the research and development of Metabolomx' sensor array system to detect lung cancer.

Metabolomx' proprietary technology is designed to recognize the molecular fingerprint of lung cancer via a sampling of metabolites (volatile organic compounds) in exhaled breath. The company's system currently is being evaluated in a large lung cancer screening study at the Cleveland Clinic.

"We are grateful for the support of the NCI grant, which will help us to further validate our technology and advance the breakthrough studies of our breath analysis system for lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and other cancers,” said Paul Rhodes, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Metabolomx.