The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has selected four finalists with innovative, non-invasive technologies that seek to improve diagnosis of endometriosis—a common and often debilitating gynecological disease. The RADx® Tech ACT ENDO Challenge is led by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB).
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other places in the body (also called lesions). The disease affects roughly 10 percent of reproductive-aged women and girls worldwide. While symptoms vary between patients, endometriosis can cause debilitating chronic pain, abnormal uterine bleeding, and infertility. Currently, the only way to confirm an endometriosis diagnosis is to find lesions through laparoscopic surgery, which is invasive, requires recovery time, and is not always accessible.
The four finalists will each receive a $100,000 prize and continue to the last phase of the challenge, where they will engage with health care technology commercialization experts to assess their prototypes, identify risk factors for accelerated development, and establish strategies to mitigate these risks. Winners are expected to be announced in spring 2026.
Finalists
Please note that these technologies have not yet been independently validated.
3CPM Company, Sparks Glencoe, MD
Electroviscerography (EVG) as an endometriosis diagnostic
The company proposes using EVG, an existing non-invasive method to measure the electrical activity of smooth muscles found in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Electrode sensors placed on the stomach can measure this electrical activity, which is presumably altered in endometriosis because the condition releases neurotransmitters that can produce seizure-like spasms in smooth muscles.
Endometrics, San Francisco, CA
Menstrual fluid as an endometriosis diagnostic
The company proposes using menstrual fluid, collected in an at-home kit, to screen for endometriosis biomarkers. The diagnostic test is a common type of RNA analysis called quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The company’s endometriosis biomarkers are based on their biobank (which includes samples from women with and without endometriosis) that is analyzed using custom bioinformatics software.
Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research – Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY
Menstrual fluid as an endometriosis diagnostic
The team proposes analyzing menstrual fluid for endometriosis through an existing technique called single cell RNA sequencing. They have partnered with a period product company to create a new collection device for menstrual fluid, as commercially available menstrual cups may be difficult to use, especially for adolescents. In practice, a healthcare provider orders the test, and the sample is sent to a central laboratory for analysis.
Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Uterine peristalsis imaging (UPI) as an endometriosis diagnostic
The team proposes measuring uterine peristalsis, which are muscle contractions in the uterus that occurs during the menstrual cycle. UPI is a new type of technology developed by the team. Using wearable sensors, UPI measures patterns of electrical activity, similar to how an electrocardiogram works for the heart. Women with endometriosis have abnormal patterns of uterine contractions, which potentially contribute to symptoms of the disease. As such, this diagnostic could identify the condition in earlier stages before lesions or biomarkers are found.
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