Ventures

Epilepsy causes uncontrolled seizures, greatly reducing quality of life and sometimes leading to early death. Over 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, but only two-thirds respond to medication. For those with drug-resistant epilepsy, treatment options are limited and often ineffective. MIR Therapeutics is developing a new gene therapy to provide lasting and powerful seizure control for drug-resistant epilepsy patients. Their therapy delivers microRNA-335 to the affected brain regions using an AAV9 viral vector, which helps control hyperexcitability by regulating voltage-gated sodium channels. This results in fewer and less severe seizures.

RetinaCheck has developed automated diabetic retinopathy screening software that combines brain-inspired geometric methods and CNNs to analyse fundus camera images. It targets the large undetected burden of early diabetic eye damage in China, where roughly 11.6% of the population has type 2 diabetes and retinopathy is the leading cause of new working-age blindness. The software is now widely used across the country.

Flash Pathology revolutionizes tissue assessment with its scanner, with immediate imaging of biopsy and surgical specimens in the moment of operation. Unlike traditional methods, taking hours and requiring extensive labor, the Flash Pathology scanner visualizes cell structures within seconds without any preparation. This, non-labor-intensive solution enables distinguishing healthy tissue from tumors in real-time, reducing the need for revision surgeries and unnecessary biopsies.

Altach is tackling the challenge of treating damaged cartilage effectively without costly or complex procedures. Altach's solution is a simple, ready-to-use implant that makes microfracture treatment better. It's made from cartilage-like material and helps the body build new, healthy cartilage. This means fewer surgeries and better outcomes for patients.

Rare diseases often lead to years of diagnostic odyssey and immense patient suffering. Therefore Genorare is set to dramatically shorten this diagnostic journey for individuals with rare diseases. Genorare's platform enables real-time, secure analysis of genomic, clinical, and phenotypic data using Large Language Models, predictive analytics, and Fully Homomorphic Encryption. A key innovation is the use of Fully Homomorphic Encryption, a next-generation privacy technology that allows for advanced analysis while ensuring patient data remains completely secure, promising a new standard of care for the rare disease community.

Nicolab tackles the challenge of stroke diagnosis and treatment by offering computational support through their portfolio of six algorithms. These algorithms analyze radiological images of acute stroke patients, providing fast and objective interpretation for physicians. With stroke affecting millions annually and significant economic burdens, Nicolab's solution improves decision-making speed and accuracy, allowing clinicians to assess stroke severity objectively and make timely treatment decisions.

Scinvivo introduces a solution for bladder cancer diagnosis with its imaging catheter, providing real-time, cross-sectional tissue images. Traditional methods often lead to unnecessary surgeries and missed tumors. By utilizing Optical Coherence Tomography technology, Scinvivo's catheter offers high-resolution imaging, enabling urologists to accurately diagnose bladder conditions. This approach reduces unnecessary surgeries but also enhances diagnostic accuracy, improving patient outcomes.

XtRNA Bio is developing a pioneering gene therapy to treat Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) disease type 2D, leveraging tRNA supplementation therapies. Their patented treatment targets mutations in tRNA synthetases, offering a new therapeutic modality with vast potential for various diseases. They are raising €5M to develop a clinical candidate for CMT2D and expand their pipeline. CMT, a hereditary and heterogeneous disease, affects 1 in 2500 people worldwide, causing progressive muscle wasting, loss of sensation, and chronic pain, with no current cure.