Revolving Mibiton Funds invest € 1.3 million in Dutch Life Sciences infrastructure

CONTENT

Mibiton Funds invest
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Mibiton Science facility
Waste2Chemical
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Mibiton Share facility
Phycom/Top
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Mibiton Quality Certificate
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Mibiton Solo facility
Mucosis BV
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Mibiton Solo facility
Neurendo BV
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Mibiton Solo facility
to-BBB BV
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Spring Event
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Mibiton Science >
Mibiton Share >
Mibiton Solo >

The Hague, 17 January 2012

In 2011, Mibiton fortified the infrastructure of the Life Sciences regions Wageningen, Groningen and Leiden. In total, five investment proposals were granted, representing a value of 1.3 million euros. Besides investments within the context of our Share and Solo fund, we are very pleased with our first investment within Mibiton Science. This novel fund is specifically designed to enable early spin-off companies to collaborate with research organizations and to create value by using state-of-the-art R&D facilities.

Also in 2011, the Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University), performed a study into the socio-economic impact of Mibiton in stimulating the Dutch Life Sciences sector. Based on intensive research, which included interviews with all relevant stakeholders, the impact of more than 15 years of Mibiton can be summarized as follows: (i) Each invested Mibiton euro had on average a financial multiplier impact of five, (ii) the flexibility and speed which is typical for our investment process, reduced the time-to-market by about 1 year, and last but not least (iii) in a significant number of cases, the Mibiton facility investment had a strong impact on the strategic positioning of the developing Life Sciences company.

In December 2011, the Board approved investment in the first Mibiton Science facility, which was submitted by the start-up company Waste2Chemical BV and Wageningen University.

Waste2Chemical, which is a spin-off from the sub-department of Environmental Technology, is developing a novel robust fermentation technology to convert organic waste and residues into Medium Chain Fatty Acids. These fatty acids can be used for the production of bio-based chemicals, representing a very large worldwide market potential. Both the sub-department of Environmental technology and Waste2Chemical are currently focusing on the optimization and upscaling of the innovative fermentation technology.

"The Mibiton Science facility will enable us to build a mobile pilot installation to process about 0.25-1 ton of organic waste per day" says Kirsten Steinbusch, CEO of Waste2Chemical. "This will boost our validation process and we can now set up collaboration with a first developmental partner", continues CCO Niels van Stralen. The young company currently uses the facilities of Environmental Technology, which is headed by Prof. Cees Buisman and Prof. Huub Rijnaarts. Ongoing collaboration with Wageningen UR enables Waste2Chemical to further develop the technology and strengthen their IP position.

Contact information:
Waste2Chemical BV
Kirsten Steinbusch, CEO
Verbindingsweg 4
6703 HC Wageningen
www.waste2chemical.com
kirsten.steinbusch@waste2chemical.com

Wageningen University
Section Environmental Technology
Cees Buisman
Professor Biological Recovery and Reuse Technology
P.O. Box 17
6700 AA Wageningen
www.ete.wur.nl
cees.buisman@wur.nl

∧ Top

In September 2011, TOP and Phycom received financing to establish a food processing facility by using the Mibiton Share fund. Both companies are located at the Wageningen Agrobusiness Park.

Phycom (2009) is focusing on developing innovative technologies to produce and process algae for food and pharma applications. The company has acquired a firm technology basis, by integrating Pharma know-how into the Food sector. TOP (2006) is specialized in implementing novel processing technologies for the food industry. Customers of TOP include SMEs in the field of process engineering and food processing.

By using the Mibiton Share fund, both companies will exploit a novel food processing line consisting of a separation unit, an extraction unit and a drying unit. "The processing line includes a very innovative drying facility, which will allow us to upscale our high quality algae processing capacity," says Erwin Houtzager, CEO of Phycom. "The facility will enable us to partner with end users and strengthen our competitive position", he continues.

TOP will use the facility to extract intrinsic compounds from vegetables and fruits, and to valorise residual food wastes. "This is our second Mibiton Share facility and we feel very confident that our collaboration with Phycom will add a significant value to our market expectations," says Bert Tournois, Managing Director of TOP.

Contact information:
Phycom BV
Erwin Houtzager, CEO
Agro Businesspark 10
6708 PW WAGENINGEN
www.phycom.eu
e.houtzager@phycom.eu

TOP BV
Bert Tournois, Managing Director
Agro Business park 10
6708 PW Wageningen
www.top-bv.nl
tournois@top-bv.nl

∧ Top

Mibiton is very pleased to invest again in the Life Sciences sector in Wageningen. Last year, the foundation awarded CEO Bert Tournois with the Mibiton Quality Certificate 2011 at the Life Sciences Momentum Conference. His outstanding entrepreneurial expertise resulted in a highly integrated Life Sciences incubator harbouring more than 20 companies. The 'Venture Catalyst" activities of TDI BV have a strong impact on the regional business development, enabling novel food processing innovations to reach the market effectively. Until now, he has been involved in two Share projects in the Field of Food Sciences with a total value of € 1 million.

∧ Top

In June 2011, the Groningen Company Mucosis was awarded a Mibiton Solo investment to produce and analyse specific vaccine proteins. Mucosis (2006) is a spin-off from Groningen University and has developed the novel vaccine technology called Mimopath™. This platform is based on bacterial particles derived from the GRAS lactic ferment Lactococcus lactis, which apparently effectively stimulate the innate immune system. To reach clinical Proof of Concept, Mucosis is currently performing a first clinical study to vaccinate against flu. In addition, the company is currently developing novel vaccines, which include bacterial particles linked to specific antigenic protein segments. These include novel Pneumococcal vaccines (otitis of the middle ear, lung infections, and meningitis), RS viral vaccines (inflammation of the bronchioles) and vaccines for the Shigella bacteria (dysentery).

Besides being a highly effective and wide-ranging activity compared to current treatments, the Mimopath™ platform also has the advantage that the vaccines can be administered as nasal drops for certain applications. "We will apply the Mibiton equipment to produce and analyse non-GMP batches of specific vaccine proteins. This will allow us to increase our technological competences, broaden our IP position and effectively prepare outsourced large scale GMP batches", according to CSO Kees Leenhouts. "In addition, the Mibiton facility will allow us to accelerate our developmental programme enabling us to significantly shorten our time-to-market," continues CEO Govert Schouten.

Contact Information:
Mucosis BV
Meditech Center
L.J. Zielstraweg 1
9713 GX GRONINGEN
www.mucosis.com
Kees Leenhouts, CSO
kees.leenhouts@mucosis.com
Govert Schouten, CEO
govert.schouten@mucosis.com

∧ Top

In March 2011, the young company Neurendo (2008) was awarded a Mibiton Solo investment to produce a novel disposable Trocar system. The innovative system, invented by Prof. Grotenhuis (UMC St. Radboud) and Dr. Hoving (UMC Groningen), will enable future surgeons to perform brain operations precisely and safely. The surgeons established that current commercially available minimally invasive equipment appears incompatible when used simultaneously. In addition, the current tools are difficult to clean effectively, increasing time-to-use and operational costs significantly.

The novel Trocar disposable system solves both problems and in addition can be fixated to the skull. This application increases the sensitivity and reduces the risk of damage to brain tissue during surgery. "We have developed a first prototype and are currently planning a large scale production facility" says Malcolm Begemann, Managing Director of Neurendo. "Commercial banks appeared very cautious to finance our facilities. Therefore, we are very pleased that Mibiton has confidence in our business case, enabling us to continue our developmental programme using the Solo financing facility"

Contact information:
Malcolm Begemann, CEO
Neurendo BV
Kadijk 7c
9747 AT GRONINGEN
malcolm.begemann@delphys.nl

∧ Top

In March 2011, the Leiden company to-BBB technologies (2003) was granted a Mibiton Solo investment to further unravel the molecular basis of novel drugs crossing the blood-brain barrier.

At natural conditionals, the bio-availability of medicines in the human brain is restricted due to the so-called Blood-Brain Barrier. This barrier physically consists of a protective layer of endothelial cells preventing foreign compounds from entering this sensitive compartment. To enable specific medicines to enter the brain tissue to cure specific diseases, to-BBB has developed targeted proprietary liposomal particles. This so-called G-technology® safely enhances brain uptake, and recently the company initiated a phase I/IIa clinical trial to treat brain metastases and glioma with its lead product 2B3-101. The second product, 2B3-201, applies methylprednisolone to combat neuro inflammation associated with several CNS indications.

The Mibiton facility includes a microscopic facility and analytical liquid chromatography equipment. "In order to support the internal product pipeline and to provide the best platform technology available to our partners, we are continuously expanding our knowledge in the blood-brain barrier field," says CEO Willem van Weperen. "The Mibiton equipment greatly assists us in our R&D and will result in a further broadening of our product portfolio"

Contact information:
to-BBB technologies BV
Willem van Weperen, CEO
Bio-Science Park Leiden, Bio Partner Center II
Niels Bohrweg 11
2333 CA Leiden
www.tobbb.com
vanweperen@tobbb.com

∧ Top

In June Niaba, LifeSciences@work and Mibiton will organise an unique event for start-up biotech companies and entrepreneurship in the Life Sciences. All three organisations have dedicated products to stimulate entrepreneurship in the Life Sciences sector:  investments for research facilities (Mibiton), network (BioBusiness Entrepreneurs) or education and training (Masterclass BioBusiness and Venture Challenge). More information will be available shortly.

Verzender: Mibiton (eindredacteur Vera Blom, Blom@mibiton.nl
Hier kunt u zich afmelden voor deze nieuwsbrief: Blom@mibiton.nl