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Discovery and research, Industrial application, Technology and digital innovation

Data science: empowering animal-free progress in preclinical development

Many drugs fail clinical trials, often because preclinical animal models fall short of replicating human physiology. To improve animal welfare, speed up drug development, and reduce costs, we need to rely less on animal models, while also minimizing the number of failures early in the drug development process. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are powerful tools that can help us achieve these goals by predicting a drug's efficacy, safety, and uptake in preclinical studies. These technologies can help researchers to make informed decisions and optimize testing strategies, improving drug development for both animals and people.

eureKARE stimulates synthetic biology start-ups with studio in Belgium

With its network of thematic SynBio Studios, investment company eureKARE is boosting the creation of new European start-ups in synthetic biology. Its first EU studio is located in Brussels and focuses on biomedical applications. Things are moving fast, and the studio has already welcomed two companies onboard.

Dosing flash radiation for the future of cancer treatment

Flash radiation has the potential to become a revolution in radiation therapy. An incredibly promising cancer treatment that limits the damage to surrounding tissue, it is currently in the pre-clinical stage. MEDVIA-funded project eFlash2D is working to assure that dosing is ready when flash radiation enters clinical trials.

How to integrate patient perspectives in innovation

After recovering from metastatic colon cancer, Stefan Gijssels became a patient advocate dedicated to improving the healthcare system that saved his life. As Chair of the Belgian Patient Expert Center (PEC), he has helped to establish a training program turning patients into patient experts who can provide stakeholders like hospitals and companies with valuable insights during the innovation process.

Femtech: Breaking barriers in women’s health through innovation and investment

Femtech is a growing field that has rapidly expanded from niche market to global ecosystem. From period-tracking apps and smart pelvic floor trainers to wearable breast pumps – both start-ups and well-established multinationals are prioritizing tech innovation in women’s health. But are investors keeping up with this trend, or is the strong gender skew in venture capital hampering the femtech field?

The hype cycle in life sciences investments: go with the flow or fight the current?

Everyone in the investment business is familiar with the phenomenon of technology hypes. These trends tend to come and go like inevitable tidal waves, and it’s easy to get swept up in the furious rush. But should you go with the flow, or are you better off swimming against the tide of technology trends?

Data science – taking clinical drug development to the next level

Clinical drug development is a challenging endeavor, but help is at hand! From trial site selection, to patient recruitment, to endpoint characterization – data science integration can help to overcome bottlenecks and improve efficiency in clinical development by generating unique insights to help guide study design and operations. For this strategy to be used to its full potential in Belgium, local partners should optimize data governance and quality, and improve collaboration. This would help the country maintain its status as a leading location for clinical trials.

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).

Energizing the transition: ACROBAT consortium devises smart and sustainable ways to recycle LFP batteries

Batteries are a crucial component of the energy transition away from fossil fuels, but the technology currently faces issues with sustainable recycling methods, which are vital for recuperating the rare raw materials inside the power cells. The European ACROBAT consortium, led by Flemish research center VITO, is tackling this issue specifically for LFP batteries – a type of lithium-ion batteries that are steadily growing in importance, including for electric cars.

MedTech Flanders becomes part of MEDVIA, Flanders’ healthtech spearhead cluster

Data science in early drug discovery – getting it right from the start

The application of data science in the early stages of drug development is not new – progress in algorithms and computing power has been ongoing for years. We have reached the point where we have to reflect on the road travelled and look forward to upcoming opportunities and challenges. To further pave the way and reach the top in health data science, stakeholders will have to find each other and work together. Once everyone is on board, data science knows no bounds!

Intressa Vascular secures EUR 18 million in financing to support the development of its multilayer Allay™ Aortic Stent for the treatment of aortic dissection

Intressa Vascular is using its proprietary stent braiding technology to develop an innovative multilayer stent for the treatment of aortic dissection, a life-threatening cardiovascular condition affecting worldwide 300,000 patients annually. The company has secured EUR 18 million in financing with the support of new investors and the Walloon Region. Funds are aimed at clinical studies and product registration purposes.

Picking up early signals: SPINOVIT to prevent cardiovascular diseases with new monitoring method

Preventing cardiovascular diseases before the first symptoms arise? That’s the ambition of SPINOVIT – a Louvain-La-Neuve company using a new biomarker and innovative technology to achieve its goal. A large clinical trial should be finished in 2023, after which the young company’s product will be launched on the market. In the long term, SPINOVIT’s solution could become part of people’s annual blood check-ups.

V-Bio Ventures leads Sibylla Biotech’s EUR 23 million Series A to advance a novel therapeutic approach for undruggable diseases

KU Leuven spin-off AstriVax raises € 30 million to build vaccine platform