ElmediX raises nearly 12 million euros to develop innovative heat technology to fight cancer
ElmediX is also committed to unravel molecular mechanisms to better understand why tumors appear so sensitive to heating
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.
ElmediX, founded as a spin-off from the University of Antwerp, developed a technology platform that allows patients to undergo controlled heating to 41.5°C for several hours. Such treatment increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemo- and radiotherapy, thus increasing the chances of successful treatment. Especially in difficult tumors such as pancreatic cancer or metastatic cancers, the ElmediX technology can have a significant impact. After all, the outlook for patients with pancreatic cancer has barely improved in recent decades. The disease affects 2200, often young and active, patients per year in Belgium, and leads to rapid death in most cases.
Professor John-Paul Bogers, CEO: "The results in the first group of patients are promising. The confidence of our investors and the additional capital injection allow us to expand the first clinical trial and treat more patients. We are also developing a biomarker that can identify in advance which patients and/or cancers have an increased chance of response."
ElmediX is also committed to unravel molecular mechanisms to better understand why tumors appear so sensitive to heating. "Commitment to scientific research and evidence-based treatment techniques are an important part of our DNA" says Bogers. For the scientific research, there is intensive collaboration with the University of Antwerp as well as the University of Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Ghent and the Instituto Italiano di Technologia (Genova, Italy).
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