Virginia Catalyst

Pascal Medical offers advanced synthetic polymer products to make orthopedic spine and neurosurgery safer and more effective.

Luminoah is a medical device company focused on enhancing chronic disease care through its innovative enteral nutrition platform. The company has developed a wearable system that integrates durable medical equipment with consumable nutrition pouches. This platform allows for personalized enteral feeding, enabling doctors to remotely monitor patients and track feeding status online. By combining technology and nutrition, Luminoah aims to revolutionize the enteral feeding market and improve clinical outcomes for individuals requiring nutritional support.

Icarus Medical Innovations focuses on designing and manufacturing custom knee braces aimed at treating knee osteoarthritis. The company develops advanced products that utilize an external muscle-tendon system, which alleviates weight from the knees while enhancing stability and supporting physical activity. These knee braces are fully adjustable, providing patients with tailored assistance that allows them to manage knee pain and maintain mobility. By combining innovative technology with patient-centered design, Icarus Medical Innovations seeks to improve the quality of life for individuals suffering from osteoarthritis-related discomfort.

Tympanogen, Inc. is a medical device company based in Richmond, Virginia, founded in 2014. It specializes in developing innovative solutions for ear, nose, and throat care, focusing on enhancing treatment outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. The company's flagship product, Perf-Fix, is a gel patch designed for nonsurgical repair of eardrum perforations, offering an alternative to traditional tympanoplasty procedures. By utilizing advanced materials and technology, Tympanogen aims to streamline the treatment process for otolaryngologists and their patients, simplifying surgical methods and improving overall healthcare efficiency.

AgroSpheres, LLC, founded in 2016 and based in Charlottesville, Virginia, specializes in innovative pesticide delivery technology aimed at improving crop protection products. The company develops engineered bio-particles that efficiently deliver pesticide-degrading enzymes, significantly reducing the waiting periods between pesticide application and harvest. By employing a unique encapsulation and delivery platform, AgroSpheres enhances the effectiveness of various crop protection solutions, including fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides. The firm focuses on creating biodegradable technologies that minimize harmful pesticide residues on plants, utilizing bioengineering and industrial fermentation techniques to produce biomolecules and chemicals that target toxic materials. This approach not only benefits agricultural businesses but also promotes the health and well-being of plants and their products.

ReAlta Life Sciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Norfolk, Virginia, founded in 2018. The company specializes in developing engineered peptides aimed at addressing life-threatening rare diseases by targeting the complement system and inflammatory mechanisms. Its therapeutic peptides, particularly the lead product RLS-0071, are derived from research on the human astrovirus, which uniquely inhibits components of the innate immune system, thus promoting a non-inflammatory response. ReAlta's approach seeks to rebalance inflammatory processes in the body, enabling healthcare professionals to better manage critical medical conditions. RLS-0071 has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in neonates.

Contraline, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Charlottesville, Virginia, focused on developing male birth control solutions. The company is creating an innovative, long-lasting, non-hormonal, and reversible contraceptive known as Echo-V. This product consists of an ultrasound-visible polymer solution that is injected into the vas deferens, forming a polymer hydrogel device. This device acts as a semi-permeable membrane, effectively blocking sperm while allowing bodily fluids to pass through. Contraline also offers Vasintomy, a non-surgical procedure for the insertion of Echo-V, providing a cost-effective and user-friendly approach to male contraception. Founded in 2015, Contraline aims to transform male reproductive health through its groundbreaking technology.

Ceres Nanosciences Inc. is a privately held life sciences company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative sample preparation products utilizing its proprietary Nanotrap® technology. This technology captures, enriches, and preserves analytes and biomarkers, which is essential for the early detection of diseases such as cancer, cardiac conditions, and infectious diseases. By facilitating the identification of low abundance biomarkers, Ceres aims to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve patient outcomes while potentially reducing healthcare costs. The company has a diverse product pipeline that includes advanced sample collection technologies and diagnostics, supported by federal grants and industry collaborations. Among its key developments is a direct antigen test for Lyme disease, which is anticipated to be available for commercial use.

Sanyal Biotechnology is a contract research organization focused on preclinical research using small animal models, specifically tailored for studies related to liver disease and associated comorbidities stemming from metabolic syndrome. The company has created a proprietary isogenic mouse model known as the DIAMOND™ mouse, which develops non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) as a direct consequence of a Western diet. This model accurately reflects the progression of liver disease in humans affected by metabolic syndrome. Sanyal Biotechnology provides customized studies and professional data interpretation to meet the specific needs of its clients, ensuring relevance and accuracy in their research outcomes.

Propagenix is a healthcare technology platform developer focused on creating personalized diagnostics and cell therapies to enhance human health. The company's innovative systems are designed for advanced therapies, facilitating the differentiation of primary epithelial adult stem cells to generate tissue models used in drug discovery and toxicology screening. This approach aims to address the critical shortage of transplantable organs by providing mature, functional epithelial tissues, such as skin, airways, and kidneys, which are essential for various medical applications.

BioTherapeutics Inc. is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative small-molecule drugs aimed at treating inflammation linked to autoimmune disorders and type 2 diabetes. The company employs a science-based approach that combines nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and informatics to enhance precision medicine. This integration allows for the advancement of tailored treatment options, ensuring that patients have access to safe and effective alternatives for managing their conditions.

VoltMed is a medical device company. They commit to helping cancer patients through the commercialization of the inspire platform. The platform provides unique benefits in destroying aberrant tissue. Inspire is based on evidence-based research.

Pulse Biosciences, Inc. is a bioelectric medicine company focused on health innovation, headquartered in Hayward, California. Established in 2014, the company specializes in the research, development, and commercialization of its proprietary CellFX system. This system employs Nano-Pulse Stimulation technology, which delivers nanosecond-duration energy pulses to target and treat cells in a non-thermal manner, effectively preserving surrounding non-cellular tissue. Initially targeting dermatology, the CellFX system addresses various dermatologic conditions, providing improved outcomes for patients and practitioners. The platform is designed for multiple applications, supporting a utilization-based revenue model that enhances customer value.

Serpin Pharma is a privately held biotech company based in Northern Virginia, USA, focused on developing innovative therapeutics aimed at enhancing the body's natural immune response. The company is working on a family of first-in-class anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating peptides that target inflammatory, autoimmune, and infectious diseases. Their lead drug aims to rebalance the inflammatory response and promote cellular repair in damaged tissues, providing a treatment option for patients with autoimmune conditions. This approach seeks to improve health outcomes without the non-specific immune suppression typically associated with conventional therapies, thereby minimizing detrimental side effects while offering regenerative and protective benefits for damaged human tissue.