Congratulations to Astek Diagnostics on being selected for the Praxis SCI Accelerate 2025 Cohort! This is a well-deserved milestone for a team pushing the boundaries of diagnostic innovation. We’re proud to have you as part of the bwtech community and can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make in the year ahead!
PRESS RELEASE
Astek Diagnostics Selected for the 2025 Praxis SCI Accelerate Cohort, Advancing Rapid Infection Diagnostics for Spinal Cord Injury Care
Baltimore, MD — January 12, 2026. Astek Diagnostics, a medical technology company focused on developing rapid, precision-based infection diagnostics, announced that it has been selected to join the 2025 Praxis SCI Accelerate Program, a competitive, six-month commercialization initiative led by the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute and designed to bring impactful healthcare innovations to people living with spinal cord injuries (SCI).
The Praxis SCI Accelerate Program supports companies with market-ready or near-market solutions by providing targeted mentorship, clinical insights, commercialization strategy, and integrating feedback from persons with lived experience (PLEX) of SCI. These insights help companies validate business strategy & product use-cases shaped by practical needs and real-world care scenarios. Cohort companies are selected based on demonstrated potential to address meaningful unmet needs in the SCI community.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common and serious secondary complications for people with SCI, contributing to frequent hospitalizations, antibiotic overuse, and reduced quality of life.
Astek’s flagship solution, the Jiddu™ Platform, is a rapid diagnostic system capable of identifying bacterial infections and determining antibiotic susceptibility in approximately one hour. Developed for UTIs, the Jiddu provides a critical diagnostic need for individuals with spinal cord injuries. By enabling faster, more accurate diagnostics, innovations like the Jiddu Platform have the potential to improve long-term health outcomes, reduce healthcare utilization and costs, and enhance PLEX independence and well-being
Through the Praxis SCI Accelerate Program, Astek will receive customized guidance in regulatory pathways, reimbursement positioning, clinical integration, and partnerships with SCI-serving healthcare systems. Integrating people with lived experience (PLEX) into program mentorship ensures that cohort innovations are shaped by real-world needs.
“We are honored to be part of the 2025 Praxis SCI Accelerate cohort,” said Mustafa Al-Adhami, Founder & CEO of Astek Diagnostics. “Praxis’s expertise and deep connection to the SCI community will help us refine the Jiddu Platform for the populations that need it most. Faster, targeted diagnostics can change outcomes for people living with SCI, and this partnership accelerates our path to making that impact. In the few months we’ve already participated, we have seen an impact.”
“Astek Diagnostics brings a compelling solution to infection management; a critical issue for people living with SCI,” said [Bill Barrable, Chief Executive Officer, Praxis Spinal Cord Institute]. “Infection management, especially recurrent urinary tract infections, remains one of the most frequent and significant challenges reported by clinicians and people with lived experience of SCI. Their work aligns closely with our mission to advance solutions that improve health, independence, and quality of life for the SCI community.”
About Astek Diagnostics
Astek Diagnostics is a medical technology company developing advanced, rapid diagnostics that deliver actionable infection insights within one hour. Its patented Jiddu™ Platform enables clinicians to confirm bacterial infections and determine antibiotic susceptibility at the point of care, helping guide precise treatment decisions, reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, and improve patient outcomes. Astek’s mission is to transform the speed and accuracy of infection diagnostics across healthcare settings.
Learn more at astekdx.com.
About the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute
Praxis Spinal Cord Institute is a Vancouver-based not-for-profit organization that leads global collaboration in spinal cord injury research, innovation, and care. We accelerate the translation of discoveries and best practices into improved treatments for people with spinal cord injuries.
We advance research and innovation worldwide through networks of international researchers, health care professionals, clinical trials, entrepreneurs, investors, and people with lived experience (PLEX). Learn more at praxisinstitute.org.
Media Contact:
Astek Diagnostics, Inc.
Email: [email protected]
Website: astekdx.com