MLA Diagnostics, headquartered in the Netherlands and specializing in improving tailored treatments for skin cancer, has recently obtained new funding to progress its development and initiate clinical trials.
Though the specific amount of funding has not been disclosed, MLA Diagnostics announced the acquisition of a “strategic seven-figure investment.”
This funding round included contributions from NLC Health Ventures (through Momentum and the NLC Health Impact Fund), LIOF, and Brightlands Life Sciences Ventures (BLSV).
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Creating a Diagnostic Test for Early-Stage Melanoma Detection
Cutaneous melanoma, a deadly skin cancer originating from pigment-producing melanocytes, is responsible for numerous deaths each year. Patients often undergo unnecessary treatments or lack proper monitoring, leading to anxiety and less than ideal outcomes. This underscores a pressing need for more effective prognosis methods in dermatology, pathology, and oncology.
MLA Diagnostics, based in the Netherlands, aims to address this challenge. The company has developed and patented a novel DNA methylation-based molecular testing technology, enhancing pathologists’ ability to provide accurate prognoses using DNA from patient biopsies.
This technology utilizes the LY75 gene promoter methylation biomarker to differentiate between low and high-risk melanoma, enabling clinicians to customize treatments more precisely for individual patient care.
Manon van Engeland, a co-founder of MLA Diagnostics, notes that their molecular test integrates seamlessly into existing diagnostic workflows in clinical pathology labs, making it user-friendly.
MLA Diagnostics was established in 2019 by NLC Health Ventures, Brightlands Life Science Ventures, Prof. Manon van Engeland, and Egbert Smit, a Dutch entrepreneur-scientist with over 15 years of experience in startup development.
Egbert and his team are dedicated to transforming melanoma prognosis by converting scientific discoveries into practical, impactful solutions. They have previously obtained non-dilutive funding from several sources, including EIT Headstart, LIOF’s Limburg Business Development Fund, the national MIT program, RVO, and Rabobank.
About the Investors
NLC Health Ventures, a leading early-stage healthcare investor in Europe, is renowned for pioneering groundbreaking innovations like pain monitoring systems, ultrasound cancer detection, and neonatal light therapy.
Boasting four captive funds, including Momentum and the NLC Health Impact Fund that backed MLA Dx, NLC Health Ventures has a portfolio spread across 11 European countries. The firm is committed to transforming scientific breakthroughs into tangible advancements and making early-stage healthcare ventures investment-worthy.
Brightlands Life Sciences Ventures operates as the investment arm of Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus BV, with a focus on funding spin-offs emerging from Maastricht University and Maastricht University Medical Center.
LIOF, the regional development agency for Limburg in the Netherlands, is dedicated to promoting economic development and growth. It supports entrepreneurs by offering guidance, networking opportunities, and financial resources.
LIOF manages the Limburg Startup Capital Fund (LCSF), which concentrates on startups and small-to-medium businesses driving significant societal changes in sectors like energy, circularity, healthcare, and digitization. The LCSF aids in the evolution of innovations from conceptualization to market entry, employing two financial instruments to facilitate this process.
