Mustafa Al-Adhami Leads Astek Diagnostics to Next Phase of Growth with MedStar Partnership and Pilot Study Data 

In the midst of one of the hardest life science startup climates in the past few decades, few stories resonate with the triumph of innovation and leadership quite like that of Astek Diagnostics, under the guidance of co-founder, Mustafa Al-Adhami, Ph.D. 

Astek Diagnostics, a Baltimore-based precision diagnostics company, aims to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and other bacterial infections that can cause sepsis, one of the leading causes of death in hospitals. Astek’s mission is clear, to change the landscape of diagnostic medicine with its Jiddu Analyzer system. 

As was just recently announced, Astek caught the attention of the largest healthcare provider in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. region, MedStar Health. The company secured a partnership with MedStar Health Research Institute to sponsor accelerated pilot studies focused on testing, validating, and further improving the technology behind Astek's Jiddu Analyzer. 

The first pilot study concluded in November 2023 and demonstrated that the Jiddu Analyzer is able to identify UTI infections and determine antibiotic sensitivities within an unprecedented 1-hour timeframe with a 96.97% accuracy. Given that results from urine cultures currently take 2-3 days and dipstick urinalysis results have c.50% accuracy, Astek is on track to delivering a momentous step forward for patients and health systems.

The second phase of the study is scheduled to be completed in February 2024 and will be focused on preparing the underlying technology to be transitioned to an alpha prototype by April 2024. 

Fostering Investor Confidence

Under Mustafa's leadership, Astek Diagnostics has achieved remarkable milestones in a short period. Since its inception in 2020, the company has swiftly transitioned from concept to near-market readiness. From taking valuable lessons away from the Y-combinator accelerator in 2021 to completing initial pilot studies with the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Mustafa has shown investors pragmatic leadership and an unwavering commitment to their mission.

A further testament to Astek's success is the substantial early investment the company has secured to advance the early technology development. In February 2023, Astek raised a $2 million seed round led by the Wexford SciTech Venture Fund, including participation from Ayana Capital, the Maryland Momentum Fund and TEDCO. The company also secured over $700,000 in non-dilutive funding.  

On the heels of their recent pilot study results with MedStar Health, the company has now embarked on a pre-Series A funding round, targeting a $5 million round via a convertible note. The confidence that Mustafa has instilled in existing and new investors has already attracted early commitments of $2.5 million towards the current round, including from its R&D partner Key Tech. Key Tech is known to be a very selective investor with deep sector knowledge, so their participation is yet another sign of confidence in Astek and their leader.

Astek's strength lies not just in its technology or their CEO, but also in its diverse and experienced team. The team behind the success that Astek is experiencing includes CTO and Co-founder Kevin Tran, CFO Rick Faint, CCO Scott O’Brian, and several other key team members who bring a rich mix of scientific, engineering, financial, and commercial expertise. The team's diversity and depth of experience are crucial assets in navigating the complex landscape of medtech innovation and commercialization, which can not be underestimated. This breadth of experience gives investors confidence that Astek has the right team to overcome any of the challenges or curve balls that may get thrown their way.  

While investors often bet on teams, technology and milestones, they also know how to spot the x-factor that makes for a great leader and a worthy investment. For Mustafa, this quality comes through in his confident yet humble demeanor which has been molded along a remarkable professional odyssey that began as a refugee from Iraq moving to the United States in 2013. From those humble beginnings, he pursued and achieved his Master's and Doctoral degrees in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Even the decision to take the entrepreneurial leap into the unknown and start Astek was driven by a personal catalyst – his grandfather's struggle with a urinary tract infection where he was misdiagnosed, prescribed the wrong antibiotic, became delirious and suffered a fall.

Perhaps it is the path of personal triumph that Mustafa has traveled that further instills investor confidence that the path he is now leading Astek down is sure to end with tremendous success.

Impact on Healthcare

Astek Diagnostics is at the forefront of addressing a pivotal healthcare challenge: the swift and precise detection of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and the judicious prescription of antibiotics. Traditional diagnostic approaches, such as urine culture and dipstick urinalysis, have clearly shown to fall short in terms of speed and accuracy. Astek’s Jiddu system offers a groundbreaking alternative, delivering diagnostic results in just an hour with an impressive accuracy rate of approximately 97%. This innovation is crucial in combating the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is often exacerbated by the unnecessary use of antibiotics.

The impact of Astek's technology on the healthcare landscape is no less than transformative. By enabling faster and more accurate detection of UTIs, it has the potential to prevent serious health complications, lower healthcare expenses, and save lives. This is especially meaningful for women's health, as women are up to 30 times more likely to experience UTIs than men.

Looking to the future, Astek is gearing up to introduce its urine-based testing system in 2025 and aims to broaden its scope to include tests for other biological samples such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for Meningitis, effluent for wound infections, and blood for Bacteremia. The company has already demonstrated promising results in areas like food safety and bio-reactor contamination, suggesting wide-ranging applications of its technology.

Currently, Astek is focused on finalizing the alpha and beta versions of the Jiddu system, preparing for FDA approval by Q1 2025, and forging key R&D and commercial partnerships. The company is positioning itself for a strong market presence, eyeing future collaborations with major distributors such as McKesson, Medline, Henry Schein, Cardinal Health, and ThermoFisher, setting the stage for widespread adoption upon its market debut.

Astek Diagnostics, with Mustafa Al-Adhami at the helm, stands as a paragon of innovation, leadership, and impact in healthcare diagnostics. Mustafa's journey from a visionary entrepreneur to a leader making significant strides in healthcare is not just inspiring but a case study in how determination, innovation, and leadership can converge to create meaningful change in the world.

In an interview with the Baltimore Business Journal where he was recognized as one of Baltimore’s 40-Under-40 Mustafa was quoted as saying that “There is no template for success.”  However, those who are following Mustafa's journey may very well be witnessing the forging of such a template with each next move that he makes.