IBD Innovate 2025 | Turning Product Opportunity into Reality

“The people in this room ... these are the folks who are going to change the future of IBD,” said Dr. Peter Higgins as he addressed a crowd of 150 research and product leaders in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 

With attendees from 11 different countries, the 2025 IBD Innovate Conference at West End Labs in New York City held an air of excitement and collaboration.

Dr. Higgins, a leading expert in IBD, is the National Scientific Advisory Committee chair of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, and the director of the renowned IBD program at the University of Michigan. He opened the conference with a clear call to action.

While tremendous progress has been made in understanding IBD and developing treatments, more innovation is still needed to prevent the disease, intervene early, and treat it effectively to improve the quality of life for the nearly one in 100 people living with IBD nationwide.

Accelerating Novel IBD Product Development

Now in its seventh year, IBD Innovate is the only conference in the world bringing together the entire IBD product ecosystem to accelerate the development of next-generation therapies, diagnostics, and devices.

The conference offers an intimate atmosphere designed to foster a collaborative space where attendees can learn, share, and network. As an initiative of IBD Ventures, the Foundation’s venture philanthropy program, the conference is dedicated to reducing risk and speeding up the development of new biotech products by investing in unique and innovative technologies. Since 2017, IBD Ventures has invested in 27 start-up companies and academic institutions, catalyzing new product opportunities that have attracted more than $700 million in subsequent funding. 

“IBD Innovate unites leaders from science, medicine, and industry, alongside patients and advocates, to foster partnerships and convert knowledge into products that improve the lives of people living with IBD,” said Dr. Andres Hurtado-Lorenzo, the Foundation’s Senior Vice President of Translational Research & IBD Ventures.

The Promise of Precision Medicine

At this year’s conference, topics spanning prevention to gaps in care were covered, but one theme emerged as central to the future of IBD: precision medicine.

A novel technology in the pipeline to address personalized intervention is an artificial intelligence (AI)-based pathology tool developed by Mobius Care, a Cleveland Clinic founded company with backing from IBD Ventures. The tool uses AI to predict patient response to IBD biologic therapies, before treatment initiation, by analyzing digital images of gut tissue samples. A custom report is generated within a few hours, facilitating prompt and personalized treatment decisions—matching the right drug to the right patient.

Treating IBD is complicated by the fact that 40–50% of IBD patients do not respond to biologic treatments, and an additional 30% lose response over time. Poor patient compliance contributes to suboptimal patient outcomes. To solve this issue, another new technology in development by the Mayo Clinic is looking to bridge this response gap through a “living pharmacy,” a bioelectronic device implanted under the skin that delivers anti-TNF therapy.

Biologists and engineers are building the device to trigger a “cell factory” in the body. It will prompt cells to release biotherapeutic molecules that target specific proteins involved in the inflammatory process, helping to reduce inflammation and manage symptoms of IBD. To release the biotherapeutic molecules in response to inflammation, the “living pharmacy” will use biosensor technology developed by EnLiSense, an IBD Ventures-backed company, which detects real-time inflammatory markers in sweat. 

Proactive Monitoring: Prolonged Remission and Symptom Relief

From novel drugs in development to outpatient clinics determined to reduce the wait to see a GI specialist, a Shark Tank-style pitching competition offered contestants a chance to earn funding and confirmed there's no shortage of exciting products heading to market. 

The winner of a $10,000 prize from the Foundation was Harp Diagnostics for their remote monitoring platform designed to help people manage their IBD from the comfort of their home or office.

“Every Disease Is So Personal”

Saxl Rose, a renowned musician and IBD advocate, shared his journey with Crohn’s disease to help attendees center the patient perspective.

As a teen, Rose was hospitalized with abdominal pain and nausea so severe he couldn’t move. He received his Crohn’s diagnosis and had surgery during his hospital stay.

His diagnosis derailed his plans to join the military but led him down an unexpected career path to become a musician. Since his diagnosis, Rose has toured the country playing saxophone at major venues alongside some of the biggest names in the industry.

While making a name for himself in music, he’s also using his platform to show his audience what it means to live a fulfilling life with IBD.

“For a long time, I didn’t talk about it,” he noted of his Crohn’s disease. “But as I started talking with more people on the road who had the condition, I realized that people could benefit from me talking about my experience.”

Rose urged all in attendance to remember that an individual experience is at the center of the data and statistics surrounding IBD, offering: “Every disease is so personal.” 

Rose’s words underscored the excitement surrounding the innovation showcased at the conference and the advancement of precision medicine to treat IBD. Just as every disease is personal, soon, treatment will be, too.

You can make an impact on IBD cures! Please consider making a donation to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.