This article was published on October 11, 2024
This machine could make cancer research faster and more accurate
Amsterdam-based scaleup Lumicks has secured €20mn from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to accelerate the discovery of immunotherapy drugs for cancer.
The venture debt funding will help Lumicks further develop and market its cell avidity analyser, a machine with the potential to transform the way researchers study and develop treatments for Europe’s second most deadly disease.
Lumicks’ tech allows scientists to gather real-time data on the bonds between immune cells and cancer cells. Unlike traditional methods, which rely on indirect biomarkers, the analyser precisely measures the actual strength and duration of those interactions directly and in real time. This is critical to figuring out how well these immune cells can target and destroy tumors, leading to more effective cancer treatments.
“By providing deeper insights into cellular interactions, our instruments empower researchers to make faster, better-informed decisions, with the goal of improving success rates in clinical trials and accelerating the development of effective therapies,” said the company’s CEO Hugo de Wit.
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
Lumicks spun-out from a research group at VU University Amsterdam in 2014 . It now employs 180 people from its offices in the Dutch capital.
Back in 2021, the company raised a sizeable $93mn (€85mn) in VC funding from the likes of Softbank and Californian hedge fund Farallon Capital.
This latest round of funding will help Lumicks bring more of its analysers to market. The company’s machines are already hard at work at several academic and commercial institutions including Harvard University, Oxford University, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and the labs of US biotech firm INmune Bio.
More and more companies are leveraging advanced technologies like AI, genomics, and machine learning to improve cancer detection and treatment. For instance, Dell and the University of Limerick (UL) in Ireland teamed up last year to advance cancer research using AI . Meanwhile Swedish startup Neko Health has developed a modular body scanner that uses algorithms to assess the risks of diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com