Cyted teams up with Boots to offer capsule sponge test pilot

Cyted Health is partnering with Boots UK pharmacies in London and the East Midlands to deliver capsule sponge testing in a pharmacy setting for the first time.

The breakthrough moment for the Cambridge company developing non-endoscopic diagnostics for gastrointestinal health is accompanied by the announcement of a £1.8million Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) grant for the testing of 1,360 patients over two years.

The SBRI investment will support Cyted’s Project COMPASS, a programme to bring capsule sponge testing for Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal cancer into hard-to-reach communities, finding cases that would have otherwise gone undetected.

Oesophageal cancer is a significant public health risk. Around 80 per cent of patients are diagnosed too late for effective treatment, after which only 20 per cent survive beyond one year. Early diagnosis of Barrett’s oesophagus, the only known precursor to oesophageal cancer, is crucial for preventing deaths.

Project COMPASS directly aligns with the UK government’s priorities to expand the role of pharmacies and strengthen ‘neighbourhood health services’.

The test involves patients swallowing a pill connected to a thread. The pill dissolves in the stomach to release a sponge, which lightly scrapes off some of the cells in the oesophagus as it is drawn back up. The samples are stained with a chemical and examined under a microscope to detect two key markers that suggest the cells are pre-cancerous.

After last year’s announcements highlighting pharmacies as critical points of care, the initiative demonstrates how community settings can deliver early cancer diagnostics.

By leveraging Boots UK’s pharmacy network to identify and test at-risk patients, Cyted Health not only supports the government’s goal of reducing health inequalities but also showcases a blueprint for integrating advanced diagnostics within accessible, familiar community spaces.

Jamie Kerruish, healthcare director at Boots, said: “We believe that the community pharmacy has a vital role to play in the early detection of cancers.

“Our pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals and well-placed to conduct screenings in our stores on the high street, at the heart of communities. We look forward to working closely with Cyted and the NHS to review the results of this important pilot and are ready to roll out this scheme more widely in future.”

The arrangement with Boots involves leveraging Boots advantage card data. Often customers confuse their Barrett’s oesophagus symptoms with heartburn and buy inappropriate medication, so Boots customers who have purchased two or more over-the-counter heartburn medications within a 30-day period will be offered a capsule sponge test to monitor for Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal cancer.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national cancer director, said: “The NHS is catching more cancers earlier than ever before, and this new pilot brings a convenient test to where people shop, making it easier than ever for patients to check signs and symptoms that might be worrying them.

“For the majority of people with persistent reflux, these quick and easy heartburn health checks will provide peace of mind that you aren’t at increased risk of cancer, and for those who do find out they have Barret’s oesophagus, regular follow-up checks will be put in place so any further cell changes can be spotted early.”

Cyted Health - ‘highly commended’ in the Cambridge Independent 2025 Science & Technology Awards - will also partner with North Central London Cancer Alliance and East Midlands Cancer Alliance to develop additional pathways for hard-to-reach communities.

Marcel Gehrung, co-founder and CEO of Cyted Health, said: “Bringing advanced diagnostics directly into communities is the future of healthcare.

“This initiative demonstrates how we can proactively identify at-risk patients closer to home, reducing health inequalities, and ultimately transforming outcomes for oesophageal cancer through early detection.”

Ashley Dalton, minister for public health and prevention, added: “Last week, as part of our 10 Year Health Plan, we promised a Neighbourhood Health Service – convenient care nearer to where people live. Today’s announcement is a fantastic example of the lifesaving potential of healthcare on your high street.

“With more than 8,000 people diagnosed with late-stage oesophageal cancer each year, being able to spot the warning signs using a 10-minute test in a local pharmacy – before cancer has even taken hold – will be a game-changer.

“As part of our Plan for Change to tackle the biggest killers, this government is committed to back innovation and make our NHS fit for the future to drive up this country’s cancer survival rates.”