An estimated 576 million euros are lost each year in Europe to respiratory diseases in the cattle industry. Therefore, the prevention of these pathologies is of fundamental importance in order to curb the outbreak of epidemics and limit the associated costs.
Breath analysis in just half an hour
Currently, infectious respiratory diseases in animals are rarely detected soon enough.
“When a cattle looks sick, the farmer calls a veterinarian, who often works far from the farm," explains Fanny Turlure, co-founder and CEO of nawu diagnostics. “Once on site, the veterinarian takes a swab sample and sends it to a laboratory for analysis, which takes time. If the result is positive, the veterinarian may have to come back again to administer treatment."
It's an invasive, time-consuming and costly approach that means farmers often don't use it.
Created in early 2025, nawu diagnostics will offer an innovative, non-invasive analysis solution in the form of a “pocket laboratory". The device consists of a portable, battery-powered reader in which is inserted a microfluidic card. The device is easy for a veterinarian, or even a farmer to use. It's positioned in front of the animal, captures the air exhaled by it and extracts a sample, which it then analyzes to identify any pathogens.
“The result takes around half an hour, compared with 48 to 72 hours for a conventional analysis," adds Fanny Turlure.
Electrostatic data collection and embedded microfluidics
The easy-to-use design is based on innovations developed at CEA-Leti over the course of 20 years of R&D, and it's protected by eight patents. This research enabled three modules to be combined into a single, space-saving device.
“The first involves the electrostatic collection of aerosols from the air using the 'corona effect'," explains Joao Trabuco, co-founder and CTO of nawu diagnostics. “This innovative process enables particles to stick to a membrane without the need for a pump. And it catches both bacteria and viruses."
Once this phase has been completed, the next step is to prepare the sample. Valves on the microfluidic board are activated by heat, releasing a solution that detaches the collected sample from the membrane. The result is a 150 µL solution of highly concentrated particles that is then heated to allow access to its genetic material. “In this way, the process requires no human intervention, which limits variability and the risk of contamination," says Fanny Turlure. The genetic material obtained is then amplified and analyzed, using the LAMP (Loop-mediated isothermal AMPlification) method, which is a faster, low energy-consumption isothermal version of the now famous PCR method (Polymerase Chain Reaction).
Today, the nawu diagnostics' prototype is capable of detecting two pathogens responsible for respiratory infections: Bronchiolitis virus and Coronavirus. Funds are currently being raised to support the product's development. It will be capable of detecting seven or eight pathogens by the first product launch, which is scheduled for the end of 2027. First, cattle farms will be targeted before moving on to poultry and pig markets, with detection covering up to eight bovine pathogens. Finally, a solution will be developed to diagnose diseases in humans.
The project benefited from the Magellan initiative, CEA's in-house support program for business startups, as well as Carnot funding, which enabled the tool to be field-tested on cattle farms.
A successful collaboration through the inter-Carnot project AIDAV, led by Carnot France Futur Élevage (F2E) under INRAE and Institut Carnot CEA-Leti, has supported and facilitated the emergence of the startup nawu diagnostics.
Crédits : A.Lapras/nawu diagnostics