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Neurology

Biomedical/pharma, Cardiovascular, Healthcare technology, Neurology

Celebrating the Pitch Winners of HealthTech Investor Summit 2025

Europe’s healthtech pipeline was on full display at the HealthTech Investor Summit 2025 in Utrecht, with the regions brightest rising stars in the spotlight. From surgical robotics and implantable devices to bioelectronics and next-generation diagnostics, here are the pitching companies that stood out to both the judges and audience.

Before the Fall: Catching Cognitive Decline Early with Citizen Science

In Antwerp, a unique cohort of volunteers is helping to solve one of the world's most urgent medical challenges: the early detection of cognitive decline. While the study is local, its implications are global — providing the long-term data needed to understand the hidden years of decline in Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, to enable early diagnosis and intervention.

Human brain organoids for Parkinson’s disease research – A helping hand from Luxembourg

Could we ever recreate the complexity of the human brain in the lab? Over ten years ago, researchers aimed to do just that by developing a three-dimensional cell culture method to grow the first ever miniaturized versions of the human brain, so-called ‘brain organoids.’ Innovation in this field continues at a rapid pace, with researchers in Luxembourg and around the world refining methods to grow organoids that resemble specific brain regions. These advances can help us understand the effects of Parkinson’s disease on cells while driving the discovery of novel therapeutics beneficial to those in need.

On our way to saving minds: the current status of Alzheimer’s disease drug discovery

An ageing population comes with multiple challenges. Diseases affecting older populations are becoming more prevalent shifting the focus of our healthcare systems. One of the most debilitating is Alzheimer’s disease. Although there is currently no cure, groundbreaking research is expanding our knowledge, giving hope to patients.

Muna Therapeutics: hopeful solutions for memory loss

Muna Therapeutics is developing transformative therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. These drugs aim to preserve cognition and enhance the brain’s resilience in diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, providing much-needed hope for millions of patients and their loved ones.

V-Bio Ventures portfolio company Agomab raises $100 million Series C to advance fibrosis-focused pipeline

Agomab Therapeutics NV (‘Agomab’) today announced the closing of a $100 million (€94.9 million) Series C financing round led by Fidelity Management & Research Company, with participation from new investors EQT Life Sciences (EQT), Canaan, Dawn Biopharma, a platform controlled by KKR, and existing investors.

Augustine Therapeutics expands its leadership team and R&D platform, enters regulatory development.

Byteflies: virtual care solutions for all

Byteflies is on a mission to make virtual care available to all. The Belgian company has developed a platform for remote patient monitoring solutions, to save precious time for healthcare providers, reduce hospitalization costs, and boost the quality of life for patients. The aim is to aid the transition from fragmented to connected healthcare, enabling a continuum of care through virtual solutions.

V-Bio Ventures portfolio company Confo Therapeutics Announces Global Licensing Agreement with Lilly for Peripheral Pain Candidate, CFTX-1554

CMT Research Foundation (USA) collaborates with Augustine Therapeutics on new therapy against Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Coave Therapeutics: redecorating viral vectors for improved gene therapies

Coave Therapeutics is a French biotech developing gene therapies for neurodegenerative and ocular diseases. The company has developed a technology platform that can be used to redecorate the outer surface of viruses, creating gene therapy vectors that are better at accurately delivering healthy genes to the right target cells, including neurons in the deep brain tissue. By combining this vector technology with transgenes restoring natural cell cleaning pathways, the company has created a pipeline of therapies for both genetically and non-genetically defined neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

NeuVasQ Appoints Former UCB Ventures VP and Partner Emmanuel Lacroix as Chief Executive Officer and Expands Its Board of Directors

The inspiring potential of gene therapy in neurology

Dr. Monica Bennett is Head of Gene Therapy Unit at Novartis, the company behind the world’s only gene therapy approved for a neurological indication. Zolgensma treats children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic condition where infants with the most severe type rarely survive past their first few years of life. We spoke to Dr. Bennett about her experience working with SMA kids and their families, and the inspiring potential of gene therapy in other neurological diseases.

V-Bio Ventures portfolio company Biodol Therapeutics nominates its first preclinical candidate as a next-generation therapy for neuropathic pain

Augustine Therapeutics: time to reverse nerve damage in patients undergoing chemotherapy or with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Augustine Therapeutics is a VIB and KU Leuven spin-off developing innovative therapies for peripheral and central nervous system disorders. The company initially focused on treating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and recently added a major indication to their lead program after finding strong evidence that their drug candidate can also reverse nerve damage caused by chemotherapy. Augustine Therapeutics aims to initiate clinical trials by 2024.