Newborn CMV diagnostic developed in New Orleans tops a field of 240 applicants from 35 countries; PathMaker Neurosystems and Moleculera Biosciences take second and third
NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans BioInnovation Center (NOBIC) announced that Cleaved Diagnostics won first place and the crowd favorite award at the 2026 BioChallenge pitch competition, held Thursday, Oct. 29. The annual competition attracted 240 applicants from 35 countries and 31 U.S. states, bringing emerging biotechnology and neurotechnology companies to New Orleans to showcase innovations aimed at improving brain health.
The competition capped a two-day program that opened Wednesday, Oct. 28, with the Brain Health Summit at Ochsner Health’s Debra H. and Robert J. Patrick Neuroscience Institute, where clinicians, researchers, investors and industry leaders discussed how to move brain health research into clinical practice. Together, the two days reflect NOBIC’s effort to position New Orleans as a hub for brain health innovation, connecting promising companies from around the world with the clinical partners, expertise and capital needed to move new technologies from research to patients.
Founded in New Orleans in 2024 on research developed at Tulane University, Cleaved Diagnostics is repurposing CRISPR gene-editing technology to develop rapid, highly sensitive and affordable diagnostic tools. Its first product, CLEVR, targets cytomegalovirus (CMV), the leading non-genetic cause of hearing loss in children and a common cause of developmental disability. The company’s technology aims to improve early detection and expand access to critical diagnostic testing.
“Winning BioChallenge is an exciting milestone for our team and validates the work we’re doing to make critical diagnostic testing more accessible,” said Chandler Monk, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Cleaved Diagnostics. “We founded Cleaved in New Orleans because we believe meaningful healthcare innovation can happen here.”
Boston-based PathMaker Neurosystems earned second place for its development of MyoRegulator, a noninvasive investigational device being studied as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Using electrical stimulation delivered through surface electrodes, the technology is designed to target two drivers of ALS: motor neuron hyperexcitability and toxic protein aggregation. The device received FDA Breakthrough Device designation in December 2025.
Third place went to Moleculera Biosciences, an Oklahoma City-based, commercial-stage precision neuroimmunology company focused on identifying immune-driven causes of treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric conditions. Its patented Autoimmune Brain Panel detects anti-neuronal autoantibodies and measures their effects on neuronal signaling, helping clinicians identify underlying immune dysfunction.
“BioChallenge is building a global network of scientists, clinicians, founders and investors who have made their own mark on brain health and now put their time and money behind the next generation of companies in the field,” said Kris Khalil, executive director of NOBIC. “This year we drew 240 applicants from 35 countries, and the six companies that pitched were as strong a field as we have ever had.”
This year’s competition highlighted innovations spanning early diagnostics, neurological disease treatment and precision medicine, reinforcing the growing role New Orleans can play in advancing solutions to complex brain health challenges. Previous BioChallenge winners and finalists have gone on to raise millions of dollars in private investment and federal grant funding.
The six finalists competed for $100,000 in cash prizes and were scored by a panel of judges from the investment, clinical and life sciences communities. The remaining finalists were Cenna Biosciences of California, Nervosave Therapeutics of France and Parley Neurotech of Colorado.
The 2026 BioChallenge was presented by Sid O’Bryant, Ph.D., and the Institute for Translational Research at UNT Health Fort Worth, with lead sponsorship from Cognito Therapeutics, BioDistrict New Orleans and Answer ALS. Additional sponsors included AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Company, Ochsner Health’s Debra H. and Robert J. Patrick Neuroscience Institute, Jones Walker, LSU Health Foundation New Orleans, Downtown Development District, New Orleans & Company, Circular Genomics, Entergy New Orleans, JPMorgan Chase and more. Their support helps provide a platform for emerging companies to gain visibility, build connections and accelerate the development of new healthcare technologies.
For more information about BioChallenge and the New Orleans BioInnovation Center, visit neworleansbio.com.
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About New Orleans BioInnovation Center: The New Orleans BioInnovation Center (NOBIC) is a nonprofit business incubator focused on advancing life science entrepreneurship and technology commercialization in Louisiana. The mission of NOBIC is to create a successful biotech ecosystem by providing emerging companies with customized commercialization services, premier facilities and a comprehensive support network. Through relationships with research institutions, economic development organizations and industry stakeholders, NOBIC helps its clients de-risk novel technologies, attract funding and improve global health outcomes.