MRM Health was set up by Ghent spinout MRM Technologies to develop treatments based on the microbiome and has now concluded its first funding round backed by Qbic and VIB.
MRM Health, a Belgium-based developer of therapies based on the microbiome, secured €14m ($15m) in funding on Wednesday from investors including multi-university venture fund Qbic II and research institute VIB.
MRM Technologies, the holding company of gastrointestinal health platform ProDigest, also took part in the round, having set up MRM Health by spinning out certain assets of ProDigest.
DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences, a subsidiary of chemicals group DuPont, and diversified holding group Ackermans & van Haaren filled out the round.
MRM Health is working on treatments based on the human microbiome, with a lead asset aimed at inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The company is also working on a therapy for spondyloarthritis, a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine, joints and pelvis.
VIB has entered into a strategic research partnership with MRM Health that will allow the company to tap into the microbiome and bioinformatics expertise of Prof Jeroen Raes and knowledge of arthritis and inflammatory diseases of Prof Dirk Elewaut.
MRM Health has also partnered DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences to jointly develop therapies for a range of metabolic diseases.
The funding will enable MRM Health to advance its program for IBD into the clinic and to progress its pipeline, including the further development of its treatment for spondyloarthritis.
Jean Van Nuwenborg, managing partner of Qbic II, said: “It’s a pleasure to be able to support MRM Health with Qbic II and partner with this impressive investor consortium.
“The size of the round speaks to the promise the project holds and to the outstanding scientific backbone of the company developed by Sam [Possemiers] and his team and to which one of Qbic II’s partner universities contributed and will continue to do so.”
