New AI-Powered Test Aims to Revolutionize Asthma and COPD Treatment

SAN ANTONIO, TX – March 03, 2026 – For the approximately 650 million people worldwide living with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), finding the right treatment can be a frustrating and lengthy journey of trial and error. A new diagnostic approach, however, may soon offer a more direct path to relief. Biotechnology firm bioAffinity Technologies (Nasdaq: BIAF) has unveiled promising research on a novel platform that uses a simple sputum sample and artificial intelligence to predict which therapies will be most effective for individual patients.

Presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) 2026 annual meeting, the findings detail a noninvasive method for identifying key biological markers in a patient's phlegm. This development signals a potential paradigm shift in managing chronic respiratory diseases, moving away from a one-size-fits-all strategy and toward highly personalized care that could improve outcomes and lower healthcare costs for millions.

The Science of a Personalized Approach

The research, detailed in a scientific poster titled “Sputum as a Diagnostic Tool for the Treatment of Asthma,” was presented by bioAffinity's Chief Science Officer, William Bauta, PhD. The technology focuses on identifying specific antibody drug receptors within cells collected from sputum. Specifically, the platform has shown the ability to detect receptors for dupilumab and benralizumab, two leading biologic therapies used to treat severe asthma and COPD by targeting underlying inflammation.

Biologic drugs are powerful but expensive, and they don't work for everyone. Currently, physicians rely on clinical assessments and indirect inflammatory markers, such as blood eosinophil counts, to determine which patients might benefit. This can lead to a prolonged process of trying different medications.

“The good news is that there are very effective treatments for asthma and COPD that work well for some sufferers. However, many patients must try a series of different types of treatments before finding an effective therapy,” Dr. Bauta stated in a press release accompanying the announcement. “We are leveraging our expertise in using our proprietary flow cytometry platform equipped with automated AI analysis to develop tests that match asthma and COPD patients with the most appropriate biologic therapies and monitor their ongoing conditions.”

By directly identifying the drug targets on cells in the airways, bioAffinity’s test aims to give clinicians a clearer, more immediate signal about which treatment is most likely to succeed before the first dose is even administered.

From Cancer Detection to Chronic Disease

This new application is not a shot in the dark for the San Antonio-based company. It represents a strategic expansion of its core technology, which has already been commercialized for a different, yet related, lung disease: cancer.

bioAffinity’s first product, CyPath® Lung, is a noninvasive test for the early detection of lung cancer. It uses the same foundational technology—advanced flow cytometry and an AI-driven algorithm—to analyze sputum. CyPath® Lung identifies cancer and cancer-related cells by their preferential uptake of a fluorescent porphyrin agent. In a clinical study of high-risk patients with small lung nodules, the test demonstrated high accuracy, with 92% sensitivity and 87% specificity.

The success and growing adoption of CyPath® Lung, which is marketed as a Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) by a company subsidiary, provides a crucial proof-of-concept for the platform's technological capabilities. By pivoting this established platform from oncology to chronic respiratory disease, bioAffinity is leveraging its existing expertise and infrastructure to address another massive unmet need in lung health. This strategic move highlights the versatility of the AI-powered diagnostic engine and its potential to become a multi-faceted tool for a range of pulmonary conditions.

Tackling a Global Burden and its Economic Cost

The potential impact of a successful precision diagnostic for asthma and COPD is immense. These conditions are not only a leading cause of disability and death worldwide but also represent a staggering economic burden due to direct medical costs, hospitalizations, and lost productivity.

The trial-and-error approach to prescribing expensive biologic therapies contributes significantly to this cost. A diagnostic that can accurately pair a patient with an effective treatment from the start promises substantial savings for the healthcare system. By ensuring that high-cost drugs are given only to patients who will respond, the test could optimize resource allocation and reduce wasteful spending.

While specific economic data for the new asthma/COPD test is not yet available, an analysis of its sister product, CyPath® Lung, offers a compelling parallel. One study found that incorporating the lung cancer test into the standard of care could save the U.S. healthcare system hundreds of millions of dollars annually by reducing unnecessary and costly follow-up procedures. Similar cost-effectiveness could be realized if the new diagnostic can prevent cycles of ineffective treatments, reduce emergency room visits for exacerbations, and improve overall disease management for asthma and COPD patients.

The Path from Lab to Clinic

While the research presented at AAAAI is a significant milestone, the journey from a scientific poster to a widely available clinical test involves navigating several critical hurdles. The findings are preliminary, and the next step will involve larger validation studies to confirm the test's accuracy and clinical utility in a broader patient population. These results will likely need to be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals to gain wider acceptance in the medical community.

Furthermore, the company must determine its regulatory and commercialization strategy. It could follow the path of CyPath® Lung and initially launch the test as an LDT through its own certified laboratory. Alternatively, it could pursue a more rigorous and lengthy path to obtain clearance or approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which would enable broader marketing and simplify reimbursement.

As a development-stage company, bioAffinity's ability to fund these extensive clinical trials and commercialization efforts will be crucial. Despite reporting accelerating revenue from its lung cancer test, the company continues to operate at a loss as it invests in research and growth. The successful development of this promising asthma and COPD diagnostic will depend on its ability to continue leveraging its technological platform while securing the necessary capital to bring its innovations to the patients who need them most.