SpectaCell spins out of imec with €6M to speed up immune therapy development
What's the deal? SpectaCellDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a company spun out of imecDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, VIB, and Ghent UniversityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, launched with €6 million in seed financing. The round was led by imec.xpandDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, with PMVDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s Flanders Future Tech Fund, InnovationQuarter CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, QbicDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and VIB participating.
What's the endgame? The Ghent- and Leiden-based startup is building a cell analysis platform that measures how treatments affect individual cells. Its applications span cell therapies and T-cell engagers, which help immune cells recognise and attack cancer cells.
Why now? Immunotherapies are reshaping how cancer and immune diseases are treated, but predicting which candidates will work in patients remains difficult. Slow, fragmented testing can delay decisions while patients wait.
How it works: SpectaCell combines chip-based imaging with data analysis to track large numbers of individual cells at high resolution over time. The technology needs no fluorescent labels, which can interfere with cell behaviour, and runs on a cartridge-based instrument designed to return results in hours rather than days.
The company is targeting pharmaceutical firms, biotechs, and specialist manufacturers worldwide with a single platform spanning early research through routine manufacturing quality checks. "Researchers need to know much earlier which candidates deserve further investment and why," said chief executive officer and co-founder Tony Montoye. The seed money will fund further development and commercialisation with biopharma partners.
The signal: SpectaCell reflects a growing push to apply semiconductor technology to life sciences. "SpectaCell brings together disruptive semiconductor technology, an experienced team and a major commercial opportunity in drug development and manufacturing," said Benoit Devogelaere, partner at imec.xpand.
Read more: imec-int.com
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
