6 biotech start-ups developing life-changing innovations
With the right support to scale and bring their innovations to market, biotech start-ups can help transform healthcare across Europe.
Many are developing technologies to better manage chronic diseases and address the unmet health needs of an ageing population, driving a much-needed shift toward more personalised, sustainable medicine. Crucially, biotech seed funding plays a pivotal role in enabling early-stage success, allowing start-ups to navigate the high costs and risks associated with research and development.
The healthcare biotech landscape in Europe
Europe has emerged as a global hub for healthcare biotechnology, driven by a combination of robust academic research institutions, government support, and thriving start-up ecosystems. The European biotech industry is renowned for its focus on solving complex healthcare challenges, ranging from rare diseases to oncology and regenerative medicine. With countries like Germany, France, and the UK leading the charge, the sector boasts more than 3,700 active biotech companies, many of which are focused on healthcare innovation.
However, the landscape is not without challenges. Regulatory hurdles, talent shortages, and the high costs associated with research and development (R&D) continue to pose barriers. Despite these obstacles, European biotech companies are setting benchmarks globally, particularly in the healthcare sector.
AI in biotech: Driving breakthroughs in European healthcare
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising biotechnology, particularly in healthcare, where it enables breakthroughs in drug discovery, diagnostics, and personalised medicine. Studies have shown that AI can significantly reduce drug discovery timelines and costs by predicting molecule efficacy with record accuracy. In diagnostics, machine learning models have demonstrated higher accuracy in detecting diseases like breast cancer compared to traditional methods. AI’s ability to analyse complex biological data also supports advancements in personalised medicine, tailoring treatments to individual genetic profiles. Across Europe, biotech start-ups are leveraging AI to accelerate innovation and improve patient outcomes.
Spotlight on 6 biotech start-ups transforming healthcare in Europe
Cytocast (Hungary)
Cytocast is pioneering the future of drug discovery with its innovative Cytocast Digital Twin Patient™ platform. This high-performance digital twin technology leverages AI and advanced computational simulations to model protein interactions within virtual cells. By predicting physiological responses, protein complex formations across various tissue types, and potential side effects, the platform enhances the accuracy of drug development. This approach enables in-silico drug testing, reducing development costs and timelines while increasing success rates. Cytocast has already secured EUR 1.9 million in pre-seed funding and is actively seeking seed investment to expand its market reach and further enhance its platform.
EIT Health has played a crucial role in Cytocast’s success by providing strategic mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to a pan-European ecosystem of healthcare innovators. EIT Health supported Cytocast by selecting it for the HICEE start-up support programme, which aims to accelerate high-impact start-ups in Europe. This programme provides tailored mentoring, strategic guidance, and networking opportunities, helping Cytocast navigate challenges and scale its innovative solutions in healthcare.
Deep MedChem (Czech Republic)
Deep MedChem is revolutionising early drug development with its advanced software tools designed to accelerate medicinal chemistry. By enabling extremely fast and accurate searches, and prediction of molecular properties within vast chemical spaces, the platform helps pharmaceutical, and biotech companies identify the most promising molecules for drug development. Despite being just a year old and in its seed funding stage, Deep MedChem has already gained significant traction with over 1000 users worldwide, first paying customers, and important collaborations with leading vendors of chemical space such as eMolecules, Mcule, Otava Chemicals, and Enamine.
EIT Health provided tailored mentoring, business development guidance, and access to a robust network of healthcare and biotech stakeholders across Europe. This pan-European support was crucial in helping Deep MedChem refine its strategy and accelerate its market entry.
Gate2brain (Spain)
Gate2Brain is a biotech company developing peptide-based technology to enhance drug delivery across biological barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier, increasing treatment efficacy while minimising side effects. Founded in 2020 as a spin-off from IRB Barcelona, the Universitat de Barcelona, and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona, Gate2Brain’s platform is applicable to various therapeutic areas. Notably, their therapy G2B-002, targeting brain tumours, received Orphan Drug Designation from the European Medicines Agency.
EIT Health played a crucial role in Gate2Brain’s success by selecting the company for an accelerator programme, helping Gate2Brain refine its business model and accelerate product development.
Fusix Biotech (Germany)
Fusix Biotech is a Munich-based start-up developing a synthetic oncolytic vector-based platform (InFUSETM) to advance cancer immunotherapy. Their innovative approach reprogrammes tumors from within, enhancing the body’s immune response to target multiple solid cancer types. They are currently developing a pipeline of “armed” vectors, encoding for a variety of therapeutic genes, for personalised cancer treatments and attracting exciting business development opportunities. With EUR 1.6M in funding and several scientific milestones achieved, Fusix Biotech is positioned to transform the immuno-oncology landscape and is on track to bring its lead asset, FUSE102, to patients by 2027.
Through EIT Health's accelerator programme and Catapult competition, Fuxis Biotech benefited of strategic mentorship, expert guidance, and networking opportunities, accelerating Fusix’s growth and helping them refine their business model.
Polygon Therapeutics (France)
Founded in 2021, Polygon Therapeutics is a French biotech company pioneering the field of cardio-immunology. The company focuses on the intersection of the immune system and cardiovascular health, aiming to develop novel immunotherapies for acute cardiovascular diseases. Their lead programme targets myocardial infarction (MI), a condition affecting millions annually, where existing treatments fail to prevent long-term damage such as heart failure. Polygon’s discovery of the role of CD8+ T cells in heart damage following reperfusion has led to PLG-101, a first-in-class anti-CD8 depleting antibody. In preclinical studies, PLG-101 reduced infarct size by 60% and improved heart function by 25%, with no observed side effects.
Polygon then secured USD 7.5M in seed funding independently, bringing it closer to clinical trials. Collaborations with organisations like INSERM are also driving key initiatives, particularly to strengthen the pipeline. With this momentum, Polygon is set to launch its First-In-Human trial in 2025 and advance its promising therapies for high-risk acute myocardial infarction patients in Europe and the United States.
aptaTargets (Spain)
aptaTargets is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company specialised on the development of therapeutic aptamers. Their lead product, ApTOLL, is an innovative neuroprotectant aimed at reducing brain damage in Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) when used in combination with endovascular therapy (EVT). Following successful preclinical development and a Phase I First-in-Human trial, aptaTargets conducted a Phase II clinical trial in AIS patients with outstanding results, showing that ApTOLL was able to reduce the brain damage and significantly improve functional outcomes. Founded in 2014, aptaTargets is based in Madrid (Spain).
Through EIT Health’s accelerator programme, aptaTargets secured significant grants, including funding to advance their clinical trials for AIS. Additionally, aptaTargets received invaluable assistance in expanding into new European markets, helping them gain access to new opportunities and networks. This support, coupled with funding from VCs, the EIC Accelerator and the Spanish Ministry, has enabled aptaTargets to plan for late-stage clinical trials and signed a partnership agreement with a pharmaceutical company, taking a major step forward in bringing ApTOLL to market.
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