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BioVox

With a local focus and global reach, the news platform BioVox shares insights into the Benelux life sciences ecosystem with readers across the world. BioVox is an independent publisher, providing its community with quality content and first-row access to interesting breakthroughs and trends in biotech, medtech, agtech, pharma, and more. We shine a spotlight on the latest news and innovations from both our partners and community.
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Picture of BioVox

BioVox

With a local focus and global reach, the news platform BioVox shares insights into the Benelux life sciences ecosystem with readers across the world. BioVox is an independent publisher, providing its community with quality content and first-row access to interesting breakthroughs and trends in biotech, medtech, agtech, pharma, and more. We shine a spotlight on the latest news and innovations from both our partners and community.
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Imitating nature: H2WIN’s innovative solution enables production of green hydrogen

Belgian GreenTech company H2WIN has developed H2GREEN: an ingenious system to make hydrogen production 100% renewable, more efficient, less expensive, and less energy consuming. Based in Nivelles, H2WIN drew inspiration from nature’s own ancient methods of generating energy: photosynthesis. The company is currently looking for funding to finance the next steps towards industrial-scale production.

CRISPR takes the ‘bitter’ out of Belgian endives and chicory

Researchers have identified the bitter substances in Belgian endives and chicory. Using the gene-editing technique CRISPR/Cas9, they have also succeeded in eliminating them. The result is a less bitter vegetable that may be more appetizing to children and adults alike. The catch? Outdated EU gene editing laws present a major roadblock for any company looking to actually produce the vegetables in Europe.

Newton Biocapital launches a new fund with initial capital commitments of EUR 50 million and target size of EUR 150 million

ElmediX raises nearly 12 million euros to develop innovative heat technology to fight cancer

Mechelen, Belgium, January 25, 2022 - Belgian company ElmediX is developing intensive and controlled heat treatments for the treatment of cancer. A new capital injection of 4M euros brings the total to almost 12M euros (including VLAIO research grants worth 1.8M euros) and accelerates the trajectory of this innovative MedTech company.

Belgium: The Health & Biotech Valley of Today and Tomorrow

As part of the ‘Health & Biotech Valley of Tomorrow’ initiative, the Belgian government recently signed a charter together with stakeholders from academia and industry, pledging to cement Belgium’s status as a biotech powerhouse in the next 10 to 20 years. Over the next few months, working groups will translate recommendations of a consultancy report into a concrete strategic plan for the future of the country. Amongst other topics, experts will evaluate ways to encourage more collaboration, provide financial stimuli, and make better use of health data.

Saving kidneys with a test that improves early detection of transplant rejection

Long COVID is a less talked-about aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet its impact on society is already profound. Although this problem is still largely flying under the radar of the life sciences industry, a couple of first movers have already initiated clinical programs to address the condition. If more companies move into this space, long COVID may prove a catalyst for R&D in other related and underserved indications, like chronic fatigue syndrome.

New start-up Trince raises EUR 4 million for innovative technology to produce personalized cancer therapies safer, cheaper, and faster

Rejuvenate Biomed: Expanding peoples’ health spans by boosting cell resilience

Aging will affect each and every one of us at some point; it is part of the covenant of life. However, just as we have learned to treat and prevent various forms of cancers and cardiovascular diseases, there are numerous ways which we can improve peoples’ health spans. Rejuvenate Biomed is a young Belgian company in this field, leveraging safe prescription drugs to improve cell resilience and help us stay well for longer.

International pharmaceutical consultant Amador Bioscience picks Belgium for its first European base

For its first European base, pharmaceutical consultant Amador Bioscience has chosen to set up shop in Limburg province, Belgium. The company, which already had branches in the United States and China, was attracted to Hasselt because of the proximity of the University of Hasselt (UHasselt), which has a strong reputation in biostatistics. In the coming years, Amador Bioscience is looking to hire 120 biostatisticians and biomedical engineers at its Belgian site.

Successes and setbacks for women’s health specialist Mithra

It has been a year with ups and downs for Mithra – the Liège-based specialist in women’s health. The company experienced huge success with its pioneering contraceptive pill Estelle, which became available in regions all over the world. But the company also discontinued the research program of another product, PeriNesta, developed to battle symptoms arising during menopause. Overall the company is doing good work though, developing innovations in a field that has historically been neglected.

Belgium has all the ingredients to be a top country for data science in health – but we have to act now!

Belgium has all the ingredients to be number one for real-world data in healthcare

Belgium is home to one of the world’s strongest health clusters and has long been ranked as the best country in the EU for clinical trials. However, if Belgium is to maintain this attractive clinical trial environment – and its quality healthcare system – the country needs to improve its position regarding the reuse of health data for research. BioVox spoke with Ingrid Maes from Inovigate about an upcoming report on Belgium’s real-world data initiatives and legislation, and how the country compares with the rest of Europe.

Knowledge for Growth insights on sharing health data

Knowledge for Growth is Belgium’s largest life sciences conference, and with a mix of thought leaders from across the ecosystem, always has a finger on the pulse of current topics. This year, the event focused heavily on data science, with a range of keynote talks and sessions dedicated to the important topic. One of the afternoon panels in particular, Understanding Data, held a lot of insights from Liesbet Peeters (Prof. Biomedical Data Sciences at Hasselt University) and Bart Vannieuwenhuyse (Data Sciences Lead at Janssen Benelux Campus).

The dark matter of the genome: Flamingo Therapeutics taps potential of mysterious RNA for cancer therapies

Things are moving fast for Flamingo Therapeutics, a Leuven-based biotech company developing innovative RNA-targeted cancer therapies. The start-up is a pioneer in the field of lncRNAs, a large and untapped class of disease-causing targets within the so-called ‘dark matter’ of the human genome.

Rejuvenate Biomed raises a EUR 15.7 million Series B to accelerate clinical development of its sarcopenia treatment for healthy aging

Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, Schlieren, Zürich, Switzerland, and Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, 12 October 2021 – Rejuvenate Biomed NV (‘Rejuvenate’), a biomedical company developing novel combination drugs for age-related diseases, today announces a EUR 15.7 million Series B round. The funding is being used to accelerate the clinical development of Rejuvenate’s lead candidate RJx-01 in both acute and chronic sarcopenia (disuse-induced and age-related muscle failure).