The future of cancer screening? A deep dive into SpotitEarly’s LUCID bio-hybrid platform

SpotitEarly is changing the landscape of cancer screening with LUCID, its groundbreaking bio-hybrid platform. Combining the natural sensitivity of canine sense of smell with the precision and scalability of AI, LUCID transforms complex data from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into actionable insights. Designed to deliver accessibility and scalability, a single lab facility using LUCID can process over a million breath samples every year.

“The LUCID platform is our data and test management system,” explains Amir Lifshitz, SpotitEarly’s Senior VP of Operations. “It manages our tests, stores all of our data and makes critical decisions throughout the testing process, including determining the final result. It’s a system designed from the ground up to ensure reliability and accuracy.”

This innovation is now setting new benchmarks for early cancer detection. So here’s how SpotitEarly’s LUCID platform works, step by step, to turn every breath sample into a life-saving opportunity.

Step 1: Collecting the sample

Our diagnostic journey begins by collecting a breath sample in a common face mask. This isolates VOCs — microscopic molecules in breath emitted during metabolic processes — to ensure they remain intact and uncontaminated during transit to the lab.

“Our collection process is as much about simplicity as it is about precision,” says Lifshitz. “The breath mask captures high-quality samples that meet the stringent requirements of our lab pipeline.”

The mask is designed for ease of use, enabling patients to perform the test at home or in clinical settings. This quick, non-invasive step eliminates barriers to participation, making early disease detection more accessible.

Step 2: Preparing the samples for analysis

Once collected, breath samples are sent to SpotitEarly’s laboratory, where they undergo meticulous preparation through LUCID. This step ensures the samples are ready for accurate analysis.

“We amplify VOC concentration to optimize samples for the most sensitive and specific detection process. This isn’t just about analyzing a sample; it’s about preparing it for our laboratory pipeline, ” Lifshitz explains.

The LUCID platform then captures VOCs in the gas phase to ensure consistency across all samples and eliminate any potential variability. Distributing samples as a gas obviously also enables our dogs to easily sniff and review each one efficiently.

Step 3: Canine detection

At the heart of SpotitEarly’s process lies the unparalleled scent-detection abilities of trained dogs. With approximately 300 million scent receptors, dogs can detect cancer-related VOC patterns at concentrations as low as one part per trillion.

“Our dogs excel at finding common denominators in cancer VOCs, even when there’s variability in the samples,” says Dr Irit Gazit, Director of Canine Applied Research. “Their ability to recognize patterns forms the foundation of our platform.”

During the detection process, multiple sensors monitor the dogs in real time, capturing cognitive and physiological responses. These observations are reviewed by the LUCID platform, ensuring both immediate and retrospective accuracy.

Step 4: AI validation

After the canine analysis, the LUCID platform takes over, integrating data streams from the dogs’ behavior, VOC measurements and real-time signal processing to deliver actionable results.

“Our AI doesn’t just validate what the dogs detect — it enhances it,” explains Tal Shaharabany, SpotitEarly’s AI Lead. “The algorithms refine patterns, eliminate biases and ensure consistency, making the process accurate, scalable and repeatable.”

The LUCID platform achieves this through:

• Pattern recognition: Advanced machine learning algorithms identify subtle VOC patterns that are difficult for human or canine analysis to spot.
• Enhanced precision: AI validates the dogs’ findings, reducing variability and ensuring consistent, repeatable results.
• Continuous learning: With each new dataset, LUCID refines its models, improving accuracy over time and adapting to new inputs and insights.

Importantly, every final result undergoes human review by one of our medically trained lab managers. This ensures compliance with rigorous regulatory quality protocols and helps us deliver and maintain the highest levels of diagnostic accuracy.

That’s vital when the business is looking to grow internationally. “We’ve developed a system that works as reliably in our lab today as it will in labs around the world tomorrow,” says Lifshitz. Additionally, the platform’s adaptability enables it to address other diseases, such as neurological and metabolic disorders, thereby broadening its potential impact on global healthcare.

As such, SpotitEarly’s LUCID platform is more than just a screening device — it’s a technological revolution in healthcare. By transforming every breath into actionable insights, SpotitEarly is delivering accurate, scalable and non-invasive solutions that have the potential to save lives.

As Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, SpotitEarly’s Chief Medical Officer, puts it, “LUCID isn’t just a tool — it’s a vision for a future where early detection is accessible to all and cancer can be caught before it progresses.”

Learn more about SpotitEarly and the power of the LUCID platform at SpotitEarly.com. Together, we’re creating a world where early detection can transform healthcare.nsform healthcare.