Capillon Analytics Paves the Way for Early Cancer Diagnosis Through Hair Analysis 

Lund, Sweden – The new SmiLe company Capillon Analytics is developing an innovative method for early cancer detection based on hair analysis. Using an AI-driven technology that identifies chemical signatures in hair strands, their method has the potential to revolutionize early detection of cancer. The company, that is currently validating its prototype for prostate cancer, has now been accepted into SmiLe’s incubator program. 

Half of all cancer cases are detected too late to be fully cured. Capillon Analytics' technology has combined expertise from chemistry, geology, medicine, and AI to develop a groundbreaking method that can identify early signs of cancer through a simple hair sample. 

The method is developed by founder and CEO Emma Hammarlund, who is also a successful researcher in geology and medicine at Lund University. Her research on how chemical signatures can reveal Earth's history laid the foundation for this diagnostic technique. Just as fossils preserve traces of Earth’s history, hair stores information about the body's condition. Hammarlund’s research has shown that the chemical signatures in hair change in cancer patients, enabling early disease detection. 

The patented prototype has demonstrated 90% accuracy in identifying the presence of prostate cancer. The method is intended to complement PSA testing and can improve the risk assessment before a potential biopsy is performed. 

"In our adaptation of geologists' methods, we also incorporate machine learning. Our prototype has been trained to detect localized prostate cancer, but the method is not limited to a single cancer type – it allows us to identify and differentiate between multiple cancer forms. We are very excited to receive support from SmiLe to further develop both the method and the company and to consolidate our development in the laboratory at SmiLe," says Emma Hammarlund, CEO of Capillon Analytics. 

“Everyone is longing for simple and reliable methods to detect early-stage cancer. Through a combination of scientific fields, Capillon Analytics has created something entirely new that could provide us with this tool. We are very much looking forward to supporting them on their journey,” says Ulrika Ringdahl, CEO of SmiLe Venture Hub. 

For more information, contact:  
Ulrika Ringdahl, CEO of SmiLe Venture Hub, +46 (0)736 566232, ulrika.ringdahl@smileventurehub.com  
or  
Emma Hammarlund, CEO of Capillon Analytics, +46 (0)702 995859, emma@capillonanalytics.com