As the EIC Tech to Market (T2M) Venture Building Programme keeps onboarding and supporting EIC Pathfinder and Transition beneficiaries in their journey from lab to market, one more project just finished the Opportunities’ Exploration phase, the second phase of the Programme. We spoke with Juan Valcarcel Juarez, the representative of TAONas-LUAD, EIC Transition project, to learn more about their experience so far in the Programme.
In this phase, the projects work closely with experts, who evaluate and offer recommendations on the project’s feasibility from a technical, team, and business perspective to guide participants to the most helpful next step.
TAONas-LUAD is developing a promising technology to treat lung adenocarcinomas, the most common type of lung cancer. Their goal is to have a widely applicable therapy based on the use of antisense oligonucleotides.
Can you briefly describe your role in the TAONas-LUAD project?
I am the coordinator of the project, funded by the EIC through its Transition Open scheme. The work leading to this innovation started to be carried out about 8 years ago in the context of the ERC Advanced project MASCP and the ERC Proof of Concept project VALSL, which were granted to my group in 2015 and 2017, respectively.
Can you tell us more about your innovation and its most market advantages?
We have developed an RNA-based therapeutic approach to reduce the proliferation of lung cancer cells in vitro and lung cancer tumours in four different mouse models of the disease. The TAONas-LUAD project aims to optimise this lead compound and its delivery and explore its therapeutic advantages and indications.
One key advantage of our approach is that it targets a genetic lesion that - contrary to all other targeted therapies for lung cancer - is observed in most lung tumours, thus potentially providing a general indication for the treatment of the most prevalent cancer types, currently with very poor prognosis. Another advantage is that it targets a genetic alteration characteristic of proliferating cells and therefore does not cause undesired effects in differentiated normal cells.
What do you see as the main benefits for your project to have participated in the Opportunities’ Exploration phase of the EIC Tech to Market Venture Building programme?
The main benefit was to gain a fresh view of the project from outside experts regarding tech to market. Their questions, comments and advice have been refreshing, thought-provoking and stimulating.
Did you find the inputs provided by the different experts fruitful for your project? In what ways?
The experts have helped us to focus on key milestones by providing clarifying views on the real rate-limiting steps for team creation, IP protection, venture building, and many others.
What do you think was the most interesting part of this phase of the programme?
Personally, I realized that the project would need to leave my lab sooner than later, and that this is a required step for its maturation and full development, for which I should just try to provide support as requested, and keep working on fundamental developments that can feed the innovation pipeline.
What do you wish to achieve by participating in the EIC Tech to Market Venture Building programme?
By participating in this programme, we aim to receive the most support and feedback, so we are in the best possible situation when launching the planned spin-off, such that it will have a high chance of success.
TAONas-LUAD is currently starting the third phase of the Programme – Team Creation – where they will identify any expertise profile that might be missing and complement their team.
About the EIC Tech to Market (T2M) Venture Building Programme
The EIC Tech to Market Venture Building Programme aims to help build start-ups to exploit promising research results through venture building services, comprising a range of activities from identification of promising business ideas to venture creation and development.
If you’re interested in knowing more about the Programme and our open calls, please visit our page in the EIC Community.
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DISCLAIMER: This information is provided in the interest of knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission, or any other organisation.