Dutch biotech startup raises €3M to heal chronic lung disease

Dutch biotech company MimeCure has raised €3 million to accelerate the development of a new, potentially regenerative drug for chronic lung diseases. The investment round is led by Addington Investment Group and supported by co-investor Apsara Investments.

An estimated 2.5 million people worldwide suffer from pulmonary fibrosis; approximately 500,000 people die from the disease each year. Symptoms such as severe shortness of breath, fatigue, and limited exercise capacity significantly reduce quality of life. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is three to five years. Although existing medications can slow disease progression, no treatment currently repairs damaged lung tissue.

MimeCure is developing a fundamentally new therapeutic approach focused on repairing lung tissue, rather than merely slowing further damage. The drug is based on MC002, an active fragment of the body's own protein, mimecan, and is administered by inhalation, allowing the active substance to be delivered directly to the lungs for the desired effect. Development is initially focused on pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

A new therapy for chronic lung diseases

The therapy combines two mechanisms of action not previously available together in a single treatment: it reduces scar formation and activates the natural repair capacity of lung tissue. Through this combined action, the therapy targets fundamental tissue repair processes and may have broad applicability across multiple fibrotic diseases.

In addition to IPF, MimeCure is investigating the broader applicability of this therapy for other chronic lung diseases, including COPD. COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide, and no therapies currently exist that restore lost lung tissue for this disease, either. The underlying mechanisms of action of MC002 may also be relevant for other fibrotic conditions, which could, in time, form the basis for a broader therapeutic strategy.

Moving toward clinical studies

The funding enables the company to complete the preclinical phase more quickly and begin preparations for the first clinical studies in humans, which are expected to start at the end of 2027. MimeCure was founded by inventor and CEO Luke van der Koog and Erik Frijlink, a former professor at the University of Groningen, and is a spin-off of that university. The company also has a close collaboration with the University Medical Center Groningen.

Addington Investment Group underlines its confidence in both the science and the team behind MimeCure with this investment: "We strongly believe in this technology and its potential to make a real difference for patients with pulmonary fibrosis and ultimately COPD as well. This fits our strategy of investing in life science and healthcare companies that connect groundbreaking science to concrete plans with medical and societal impact," said Addington Investment Group founder Ad Nederlof.

Van der Koog also sees the investment as an important milestone: "This step enables us to further develop MC002 toward the clinic and generate the first clinical evidence. At the same time, we see this as an important step in developing a broader regenerative approach for fibrotic diseases. Drug development is a lengthy process in which thoroughness is essential, but this brings us a clear step closer to new treatment options for patients."