PRESS RELEASE

Rhode Island Life Science Hub Fueling the Future of Innovation with Investments in Innovative Life Science Companies 

$16 million deployed by state-backed organization since launch

Companies are advancing breakthroughs across therapeutics, medical technologies, and diagnostics

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – September 17, 2025 – The Rhode Island Life Science Hub (RILSH), the state-supported organization dedicated to growing Rhode Island’s life sciences ecosystem, today announced the strategic investment of $4 million dollars in nondilutive funding to companies furthering its mission of building the RI Life Science community. With these most recent awards, RILSH has now deployed a total of $16 million dollars since its launch, fueling the growth of Rhode Island-based companies, attracting new businesses and investments, and accelerating the translation of scientific breakthroughs into real-world solutions.

“These latest investments highlight the breadth of innovation happening in Rhode Island and underscore our commitment to positioning the state as a competitive hub for life sciences,” said Dr. Mark A. Turco, President and CEO of the R.I. Life Science Hub. “We are proud to provide nondilutive funding to this new cohort of companies, which—together with past recipients—are fueling innovation across our core clusters of neuroscience, health and aging, RNA, and immunology. By supporting advances in therapeutics, diagnostics, and medical technologies, we are helping companies grow and thrive in Rhode Island.”

These companies reflect Rhode Island’s growing strengths across its priority areas of research: 

• Trace Sensing Technologies, a University of Rhode Island spinout relocating from Connecticut, is pioneering advanced sensors to detect breath biomarkers for early, non-invasive disease diagnosis. This funding will support the development of Trace’s platform technology, TRACE-E, aimed at identifying patients with chronic kidney disease in its earliest stages.

• Expanse Medical, a California-based MedTech innovation leader, will expand its operations to the East Coast with a new base in Rhode Island. Expanse pioneers breakthrough solutions to clinical bottlenecks through first-principles engineering, deep clinical insight, and full-cycle product development, backed by leading industry partners. Expanse also plans to use the strategic RI headquarters to propel the development of its portfolio company's proprietary and unique medical device solution to the treatment of patients with erectile dysfunction.

• Lenoss Medical is advancing minimally invasive, first of its kind, biological spinal fracture treatments that harness the body’s natural bone-healing properties, offering a new approach to orthopedic care. Lenoss is a commercial stage technology and will use funding to scale its U.S.-based operations.

• TEEM Therapeutics is a Brown University spin out that is working in the regenerative medicine field and developing precision drugs for heart disease by integrating tissue-engineered human heart models with advanced sensors and software to identify novel therapeutic targets. Funding will be used to establish RI headquarters for the company.

• Line Diagnostics is a Brown University spin out creating ultrasensitive blood and Pap smear tests for early and reliable detection of ovarian, uterine, and other cancers, addressing critical gaps in women’s health diagnostics. Funding will be used to establish RI headquarters for the soon to be established company.

These awards reflect RILSH’s strategy of investing in areas where Rhode Island has the potential to lead nationally, leveraging academic competencies and leadership. By supporting companies advancing new diagnostics, therapeutics, and medical technologies, RILSH is strengthening the state’s research base, expanding commercialization pathways, and driving workforce growth across the life sciences sector.

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About the Rhode Island Life Science Hub: The Rhode Island Life Science Hub positions the state to deliver on a bold vision of transforming Rhode Island into a globally recognized life science innovation hub by coalescing existing stakeholders, activities, and investments while building new capabilities. Through an initial three-year, $45 million investment, the Hub will serve as the central and coordinating organization facilitating the development of medical advances and scientific breakthroughs by supporting companies that specialize in life sciences. For more information, please visit www.rilifescience.com. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 17, 2025

Media Contact:

Sarah Sutton

(518) 932-3680

sarah@endurancepr.com