American Urological Association (AUA) has officially announced its selections for the 2025 Innovation Nexus Showcase.
Set for a third edition, this particular showcase will feature a total of 14 companies, selected through a rigorous and highly competitive process, with each one now boasting a unique platform to present their innovations in front of a panel made with industry leaders. Not just that, the stated panel will also have potential investors dedicated to advancing urological care.
In case you weren’t aware, Innovation Nexus is designed to play the role of a urology incubator and drive groundbreaking discoveries in collaboration with key stakeholders. The overarching purpose behind such an effort is to bring together startups, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, investors and urologists to accelerate urologic innovation through showcases, discussion forums, industry reverse pitches, emerging concepts sessions, and valuable networking opportunities.
As for the 2025 edition, it is expected to feature a bigger pool of companies than ever before. More on that reveal how each company will present products—devices, artificial intelligence platforms, diagnostic tests, etc, to eventually cover a variety of urologic issues, such as prostate cancer, male contraception, incontinence, bladder cancer, and hypertension.
Talk about the 14 companies that were selected by AUA, we begin from Andromeda Surgical, a company building autonomous surgical robots starting with laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP/ThuLEP). In essence, Andromeda leverages real-time AI guidance and mapping to reduce the learning curve and empower every surgeon in terms of operating at a world expert level.
Next up, we have Avlos Medical, LLC, who is best known for developing halofuginone-coated medical devices to prevent scar and stricture formation without affecting normal tissue healing. The company’s Phase 0 study, in fact, showed excellent results for male urethral stricture disease, with no disease recurrence during a small trial. This positions Avlos as a leader in innovative solutions for improved surgical outcomes.
The third company in line here is Bot Image, Inc. Bot Image has already received, in case you weren’t aware, 5-pillar FDA clearance for prostate cancer screening, detection, diagnosis, segmentation, and classification of suspect cancer lesions using non-contrast MRI. Such a designation makes the company’s proprietary technology ideal for cognitive fusion biopsy and treatment guidance.
Then, there is CathConnect, the company behind a medical device which improves the safety of urinary catheters by allowing the tube to disconnect when pulled. The device, at present, is an independent accessory and can be installed into any urinary catheter.
Joining the mix from would be Contraline, a biotechnology company at the forefront of male contraception. Contraline is presently advancing two revolutionary, clinical-stage products i.e. ADAM, the first long-lasting and reversible vas-occlusive hydrogel implant, along with NES/T, a transdermal, daily-use hormonal gel.
Another company set to become a part of AUA’s 2025 cohort would be Dolor Therapeutics, a preclinical-stage pharmaceutical company from Northwestern University. Dolor’s unique proposition is rooted in developing treatments for high-unmet medical needs and urologic conditions.
DriQ Health also made the cut because of its ability to harness AI-powered remote monitoring technology, all for the purpose of revolutionizing senior care through its innovative, disposable battery-free incontinence detection system. The company’s platform also uniquely integrates incontinence monitoring with fall and mobility detection so to provide caregivers with real-time insights, and therefore, enhance the quality of life for seniors, while simultaneously improving operational efficiency across care facilities.
Alongside that, we have HomeScope. HomeScope is understood to be a home cystoscope which captures diagnostic-grade images of the bladder, ensuring accurate detection of lesions and other abnormalities. Basically, by allowing patients or non-urologic health care providers to perform remote cystoscopy, HomeScope makes a point to reduce travel time and costs, improve patient comfort, and expand access to care.
Among other companies selected, we have InnoCare Urologics, LLC, ProArc Medical, ProFocalTM, Vesica Health, and Verve Medical.
“Now in its third year, the Innovation Nexus Conference continues to exceed expectations in both attendance and the caliber of groundbreaking innovations presented,” said Steven Kaplan, MD, FACS, chair of the American Urology Association’s Research Council. “This year’s showcases highlight a diverse array of urologic advancements with the potential to improve countless lives.”
