EIC ePitching on Cancer Prevention and Care: EIC-backed next-generation therapeutics in the spotlight

Eight advanced cancer solutions were showcased during the latest European Innovation Council (EIC) ePitching on Cancer Prevention and Care, which took place online, on 25 February. Organised in the framework of the EIC Investor Readiness and Outreach Programme, part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services, the initiative attracted around 20 investors and led to almost 30 follow-up meetings with the selected EIC-backed innovators.  

Among the chosen EIC portfolio companies were: 

• Ability Pharma, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company from Spain. Develops first-in-class oral targeted anticancer drugs that selectively induce autophagy-mediated cytotoxicity in cancer cells. Their first drug candidate, ABTL0812, is currently in phase 2b clinical trials in pancreatic cancer in Spain, USA, France, and Israel. 

• Apmonia Therapeutics is a French biotechnology company dedicated to developing therapeutic strategies to fight cancer. They are building a first-in-class pipeline of next-generation peptide-based therapies targeting the tumour microenvironment to improve the lives of patients with cancer. 

• Convert Pharmaceuticals is a Belgium drug development company focusing on tumour hypoxia for therapeutic benefit. Its lead product, CP-506, is a hypoxia-activated prodrug activated within the cancer with low toxicity. Convert also specialises in biomarker development for precision medicine and has an ongoing trial. 

• DoMore Diagnostics, from Norway, delivers AI-based digital biomarkers that enable personalised cancer treatment. Their lead product, Histotype Px® Colorectal, is a published, patented and CE-marked outcome prediction marker for stage II and III colorectal cancer that informs the decision of whether to provide chemotherapy following surgical resection of the tumour. 

• French ErVimmune aims to address cold tumours not responding to current immunotherapies by developing the next generation of cancer vaccine and T-cell therapies. Their innovation is based on the determination of human endogenous retrovirus, as a new source of shared unconventional tumour epitopes thanks to their proprietary data science techniques and AI tools. 

• Gate2Brain is a Spanish biotech company focused on the development of therapeutics that cross biological barriers such as the blood-brain barrier. They use an innovative peptide-based patented technology platform. Their first therapeutic proof of concept is aimed mainly at the treatment of rare paediatric solid tumours. 

• Hemispherian, from Norway, is developing a breakthrough class of cancer drugs that target the DNA damage response by activating the TET2 enzyme. Their lead asset, GLIX1, has shown efficacy in animal models, curing aggressive cancers like glioblastoma, with proven safety in toxicology studies. GLIX1 also enhances the effectiveness of PARP inhibitors. 

• Spanish Peptomyc is a clinical stage company developing a new generation of foundational cell-penetrating mini-proteins targeting MYC, the most deregulated oncogene in human cancers. Their lead compound, OMO-103, is the first MYC inhibitor to have successfully completed a Phase 1 clinical trial in all-comers solid tumours, showing safety, target engagement and clinical activity. 

Pepotomyc (first place), along with ErVimmune and Hemispherian (tied for second) were considered the best pitches of the day according to the investors’ votes. 

Peptomyc: pioneers in first-in-class cancer therapy targeting MYC 

Peptomyc is revolutionising cancer treatment with its self-penetrating mini-protein technology, targeting one key cancer enzyme, MYC.

We are developing foundational cancer therapy against a most wanted cancer enzyme, explained Marie-Eve Beaulieu, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Peptomyc.

The company’s innovation is the first of its kind, bringing a solution to an area of cancer research that has been considered undruggable for over 40 years. The journey began when Laura Soucek, Peptomyc’s co-founder and CEO, designed Omomyc, a molecule proving that MYC could be safely inhibited without severe side effects.

It was really a revolution. It changed the dogma about MYC inhibition for cancer treatment, Beaulieu noted.

When she and Soucek joined forces 10 years ago, as a spin-off from the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (Barcelona, Spain), they recognised Omomyc’s potential for drug development. With MYC deregulated in 70% of all cancers, their therapy has the potential to provide a much-needed treatment option for patients facing resistance to existing drugs. Now at the clinical stage, Peptomyc recently completed its first clinical trial and is preparing for further studies to validate the drug’s efficacy.

We need to demonstrate more clinical activity through additional clinical trials before partnering with pharma," Beaulieu explained. Therefore, the company participated in the session to secure funding. “The event was really excellent… a lot of value added by the event and contacts from investors, Marie-Eve concludes. 

ErVimmune’s and Hemispherian feedback on a “crucial and differentiated platform” to engage with investors 

The session also provided a “crucial and differentiated platform” for startups to connect with investors, according to ErVimmune’ CEO, Nathalie Donne. 

I think the first moment is very good, where we have the presentation of each investor, noted Nathalie. She highlighted how this introduction clarified investors' focus areas, which is often missing on their websites or any other presentations. It’s very valuable for companies to gain time, knowing exactly in oncology if they look for digital purposes, she added, explaining how it helps companies to quickly identify relevant investors and avoid mismatches. 

Founded in 2019, ErVimmune is a spin-off of the Centre Leon Berard, in Lyon, France. The company aims to address critical gaps in cancer treatment and patient care, using advanced technology. They seek to offer innovative approaches that improve treatment outcomes and streamline processes in the healthcare sector. Nathalie noted that “as a small company, gaining visibility among investors is essential, and the EIC ePitching event provided a unique opportunity to showcase its potential”. 

Zeno Albisser, Hemispherian’s CEO, also noted that the session “provided a fantastic opportunity to connect with investors and gain insights from other industry leaders”. 

The discussions were highly engaging and valuable, and I truly appreciated the chance to present Hemispherian’s progress. We have continued to advance our therapeutic pipeline and expand our partnerships. Events like these play a crucial role in driving innovation and collaboration in the healthcare sector.”

Hemispherian was founded in 2015 and is focused on glioblastoma, a deadly cancer of the central nervous system. The company has a lead compound in late-stage preclinical development. They aim to create a novel class of small molecule drugs as therapy for particularly aggressive cancers. 

The selected beneficiaries got to pitch online to a panel of high-level investors from Ananda Impact Ventures, Armilar Venture Partners, BioGeneration Ventures, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Bullnet Capital, Clinical Research Ventures, EQT Life Sciences, High-Tech Gründerfonds, Indaco Venture Partners Sgr, Invivo Partners, MIG AG, Panakès Partners, Supernova Invest, V-Bio Ventures, Verve Ventures, XAnge, YAYA Capital and Ysios Capital. 

Wining format with one-on-one investor meetings and a top selection of startups 

I thoroughly enjoyed the event, which showcased an impressive and highly relevant selection of startup companies from across Europe. The meeting was exceptionally well organised, allowing ample room for focused discussions between the startups and the investor jury panel, declared the Executive Director of Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), Sebastian Kreuz.

The BIVF serves a portfolio of more than 40 companies, with a fund volume of EUR 350 million that refinances itself as an evergreen fund. Their focus is targeting pioneering biotechnology solutions on therapeutics to promote innovation in biomedical research. The goal is to obtain “improvements in patient care through groundbreaking scientific findings and their clinical implementation, building long-term relationships with scientists and entrepreneurs”. The fund offers consolidated experience in the fields of drug discovery, science and management. 

I think it's helpful to see what's cooking in Europe and to see what innovations are coming from all the European countries, explains Maurits Brandt.

The Senior Associate at Novo Holdings also highlights the format of the session, having the possibility to schedule one to one meetings with a company, right after the pitches.

“I like that after the introductions, you can actually get to know the company. So, I think that's a very nice format and happy to participate again”. 

Novo Holdings is presented as “an evergreen life sciences investment company with USD 150 billion+ assets under management”. The team selects promising biotech startups in the therapeutic space and provides capital, network and know-how to transform them from promising into successful businesses, with the goal of financing them to a commercial exit. 

The upcoming pitching sessions under the programme in 2025 will focus on deep tech and climate tech, respectively on 11 March, in France, and on 2 April at the EIC Summit, in Brussels. Stay tuned for additional information! 

About the EIC Investor Readiness and Outreach Programme 

This opportunity is brought to you by the EIC Investor Readiness and Outreach Programme, part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services (BAS). The programme aims to enhance the investor readiness of EIC Accelerator innovators by providing them with the necessary tools and knowledge to attract investment and scale their ventures. Once ready, the programme also provides introductions to the best investors in their sector through ePitchings and Investor Days. 

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