Aclarion, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACON, ACONW), a commercial-stage healthcare technology company, reported first quarter 2026 results on April 30, 2026, highlighting a 196% year-over-year increase in Nociscan scan volumes and a 64% sequential growth from Q4 2025. The triple-digit growth reflects accelerating clinical adoption and integration of the Nociscan platform into clinical workflows, driven by both new account activation and deeper utilization within existing sites. The company noted that repeat usage trends reinforce the value proposition for Nociscan, positioning Aclarion for sustained expansion.
The opportunity for Nociscan remains significant, with approximately 5.8 million lumbar MRIs performed annually in the U.S. for low back pain. Aclarion believes this represents a potential $2 billion market opportunity for technologies like Nociscan that provide objective, data-driven evaluation of discogenic pain. The company is advancing several key strategic initiatives to capture this market, including reimbursement progress and clinical milestones.
In the U.K., Nociscan has been reimbursed by Vitality, AXA, and Aviva—three of the four largest private insurers—providing meaningful validation and a pathway for broader coverage expansion. Aclarion also launched a targeted direct-to-patient campaign in the U.K., featuring a video with Mr. John Sutcliffe, Consultant Spinal Neurosurgeon at The London Clinic. The video is available here. In the U.S., the company continues to engage with payers through the Nociscan Reimbursement Program to establish coverage pathways.
Clinically, Aclarion is advancing the CLARITY randomized trial designed to validate the clinical utility of Nociscan in guiding treatment decisions. A preliminary internal readout is expected in the second half of 2026, with public disclosure of early interim results anticipated in late 2026. Additionally, seven ongoing clinical trials and multiple investigator-initiated real-world evidence trials are underway to support reimbursement discussions and potential local coverage decisions by commercial insurance carriers.
On the product development front, Aclarion strengthened its intellectual property portfolio with a newly issued patent covering the use of AI in workflows of future products. The company's IP portfolio now totals 64 issued and pending patents worldwide, reinforcing its competitive moat. The company also announced a $2.5 million share repurchase program, underscoring confidence in its long-term growth strategy.
Financially, Aclarion reported a strong balance sheet with $19.0 million in cash, no debt, and a clean capital structure. As of March 31, 2026, there were 2,444,871 common shares outstanding. Based on current operating plans and the stock buyback program, the company believes its existing cash resources are sufficient to fund operations into the second half of 2027.
“Q1 represents a clear inflection for Aclarion,” said Brent Ness, Chief Executive Officer. “Scan volume growth accelerated significantly, driven by increasing physician adoption and stronger execution with our recently hired Commercial Directors in the UK and the Eastern US. Importantly, we are still in the early stages of commercializing Nociscan into a large and underpenetrated market, with nearly 6 million lumbar MRIs performed annually in the U.S. alone.”
