RIVANNA®, developers of imaging-based medical technologies, announced that it received $9.92 million in federal funding of a contractual option from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
With the execution, this option funding will support the development of an advanced AI module designed to automate the detection of anatomical abnormalities and assist in the diagnosis of bone fractures. The total BARDA funding awarded to date under this contract exceeds $52 million, with the potential for cumulative support to reach more than $91 million if all remaining options are exercised.
“Execution of option funding accelerates our ability to deliver high-impact clinical solutions,” said Delphine Le Roux, PhD, PMP, Senior Director, Market Access and Strategic Partnerships. “This investment enables us to expand multi-site clinical data acquisition and expedite the development of our AI technology for fracture and soft tissue abnormality detection. It also supports critical activities that advance us toward U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, bringing us closer to delivering a validated diagnostic tool that improves access to high-quality musculoskeletal care at the point of need.”
The development plan builds upon prior work under the BARDA contract focused on advancing computer-aided detection (CAD) technologies, including the development of AI-BoneEnhance® — an AI module designed to improve visualization and classification of bone structures in ultrasound images. While conventional CAD tools assist in identifying anatomical features, CADe/x advances this capability by detecting abnormalities and suggesting potential pathologies. These enhancements are intended to help even novice users interpret ultrasound images and diagnose fractures with greater confidence. Development of the CADe/x system will utilize critical datasets, including segmentation of bone surfaces in volumetric ultrasound and classification of bone type in B-mode images. Option funding includes multi-site clinical data collection to support AI training for CADe/x.
“The execution fast-tracks development efforts, bringing the fully automated detection software to market nearly a year ahead of schedule,” added Le Roux. “This milestone reflects the strong alignment among our team and clinical collaborators. That shared commitment continues to drive the program forward at an accelerated pace.”
CADe/x will serve as a foundational component of Accuro XV, RIVANNA’s next-generation ultrasound platform for bone and 3D soft tissue imaging. Accuro XV is designed to support AI-enabled decision assistance for fracture triage, helping healthcare providers rapidly detect skeletal fractures and soft tissue injuries without exposure to ionizing radiation or the need for extensive training. The system may provide significant workflow efficiencies that enable faster, more confident clinical decision-making.
Once deployed, the system is expected to transform care delivery by accelerating the diagnosis of low-severity injuries, reducing unnecessary referrals for X-rays, and freeing up valuable imaging and physician resources for higher-acuity cases.
The platform has the potential to support more accurate triage in emergency departments by enabling early identification of soft tissue injuries, facilitating faster and more informed treatment decisions. Accuro XV will feature just-in-time training and automated image acquisition and interpretation, streamlining adoption in clinical settings.
This project has been supported in whole or in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR); Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under contract number 75A50121C00035. Learn more about BARDA: https://www.medicalcountermeasures.gov.
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