Fund+

Fund+ NV is a venture capital firm based in Leuven, Belgium, specializing in startup and early-stage investments within the life sciences sector. The firm focuses on companies involved in therapeutics, diagnostics, and medical devices, primarily targeting those in advanced development stages. Fund+ typically invests between EUR 3 million and EUR 8 million and aims to acquire a significant minority stake of 10% to 20% in its portfolio companies. Established in 2015, the firm is dedicated to creating sustainable shareholder value, fostering leadership in the life sciences industry, and generating positive societal impacts. Investment decisions are made by the Management Committee or the Board of Directors, based on the amount invested.

Jan Van den Bossche

Partner

Chris Buyse

Managing Partner

Louis Declerck

Associate

Alexandra Tolia

Partner

22 past transactions

eTheRNA immunotherapies

Series B in 2022
eTheRNA immunotherapies' mission is to help patients to overcome certain cancers and infectious diseases by developing novel immunotherapies that target the fundamental role of dendritic cells in the human immune system. eTheRNA’s proprietary mRNA-based TriMix technology boosts dendritic cells leading to a more comprehensive, sustainable and safer enhancement of the patient’s immune system than any other similar approach investigated until now.

Minoryx

Series C in 2022
Minoryx Therapeutics is a biotechnology company based in Mataro, Spain, founded in 2011. The company specializes in discovering and developing innovative treatments for life-threatening rare diseases, with a particular focus on pediatric neurometabolic conditions of genetic origin. Minoryx is known for its development of pharmacological chaperones, a new generation of small molecule drugs designed to restore protein functionality, thereby addressing unmet medical needs in genetic diseases that severely affect the central nervous system. Additionally, Minoryx engages in repositioning-based projects to explore alternative therapeutic options for these challenging conditions.

Tubulis

Series B in 2022
Tubulis GmbH, founded in 2019 and based in Munich, Germany, focuses on the research, design, and development of protein-drug conjugates by integrating proprietary technologies with disease-specific biology. The company aims to transform the therapeutic landscape by creating innovative antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that enhance treatment outcomes for patients. Tubulis is dedicated to identifying new protein-drug combinations for various therapeutic applications, thereby expanding the potential of ADCs in addressing unmet medical needs.

TargED Biopharmaceuticals

Series A in 2022
TargED Biopharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company that develops first-in-class biological drugs to improve treatment of thrombosis.TargED stands for Targeted Enzyme Delivery. Their biological drugs are unique by using small antibodies (“VhH”) to deliver enzymes to sites of thrombosis, enabling ‘targeted’ thrombolysis.

EyeD Pharma

Venture Round in 2021
EyeD Pharma SA is a pharmaceutical company based in Liège, Belgium, specializing in the development and commercialization of innovative drug products for ophthalmology. The company focuses on creating therapies that enhance patient quality of life while minimizing side effects associated with existing treatments. EyeD Pharma collaborates with ophthalmologists to introduce new treatment options, as well as providing surgical products that support clinical practices. Through these efforts, EyeD Pharma aims to deliver therapeutic solutions that are currently lacking in the market, ultimately benefiting both healthcare providers and patients.

Novadip Biosciences

Series B in 2021
Novadip Biosciences SA is a biopharmaceutical company that develops process and distribution platform for tissue regeneration. It focuses on autologous cell therapies for critical size tissue reconstruction; allogeneic therapeutics for smaller and prevalent tissue defects; and miRNA/exosome-based therapeutics for systemic tissue and other diseases. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium.

Egle Therapeutics

Series A in 2021
Egle Therapeutics SAS, a biotechnology company, develops immunotherapies targeting immune suppressor regulatory T-cells for oncology and autoimmune diseases. It develops Treg modulating drug pipeline, which includes computationally designed resurfaced IL-2 proprietary variants to engage or dis-engage Tregs. The company was founded in 2020 and is based in Paris, France.

Cardior Pharmaceuticals

Series B in 2021
Cardior Pharmaceuticals GmbH is a biotechnology company based in Hanover, Germany, established in 2016. The company specializes in the development of non-coding RNA-based therapeutics aimed at treating and preventing heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the western world. Its primary focus is on CDR-132X, an oligonucleotide-based inhibitor designed to target a critical microRNA that regulates harmful changes in the heart resulting from stress or injury. Cardior Pharmaceuticals is positioned as a planned academic spin-off, emphasizing innovative approaches to address significant cardiovascular health challenges.

ExeVir

Series A in 2020
ExeVir Bio BV is a Belgium-based biotechnology company established in 2020, focused on developing single-domain antibody therapies to combat viral infections. The company utilizes a llama-derived antibody technology platform, specifically the VHH technology, to create robust antiviral treatments that offer broad protection against coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. ExeVir's lead candidate, VHH72-FC, targets a conserved region on the virus's spike protein essential for cellular entry. This innovative approach not only aims to provide effective treatment and prevention strategies for viral infections but also enables rapid development of drug candidates in response to emerging health threats, ensuring stability and cost-effectiveness for global access. ExeVir Bio's therapies are designed to reduce viral load and inflammation, thereby supporting immune responses and protecting vulnerable populations, including healthcare workers and individuals with co-morbidities.

Ona Therapeutics

Series A in 2020
Ona Therapeutics is a biotech company that specializes in the discovery and development of therapeutic biologics targeting tumor metastatic-initiating cells and lipid metabolism. Founded in 2019 by Salvador Aznar-Benitah and Valerie Vanhooren, it was a spin-off from ICREA and Advanced Studies, and the IRB Institute for Research in Biomedicine.

eTheRNA immunotherapies

Series B in 2020
eTheRNA immunotherapies' mission is to help patients to overcome certain cancers and infectious diseases by developing novel immunotherapies that target the fundamental role of dendritic cells in the human immune system. eTheRNA’s proprietary mRNA-based TriMix technology boosts dendritic cells leading to a more comprehensive, sustainable and safer enhancement of the patient’s immune system than any other similar approach investigated until now.

ITeos Therapeutics

Series B in 2020
Iteos Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery and development of immuno-oncology therapeutics for cancer patients. Its product pipeline includes EOS-850, a small molecule antagonist of the adenosine A2a receptor that is an open-label Phase 1/2a clinical trial in adult patients; and EOS-448, an antagonist of TIGIT or T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains, which is in Phase 1/2a clinical trial. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

EyeD Pharma

Funding Round in 2019
EyeD Pharma SA is a pharmaceutical company based in Liège, Belgium, specializing in the development and commercialization of innovative drug products for ophthalmology. The company focuses on creating therapies that enhance patient quality of life while minimizing side effects associated with existing treatments. EyeD Pharma collaborates with ophthalmologists to introduce new treatment options, as well as providing surgical products that support clinical practices. Through these efforts, EyeD Pharma aims to deliver therapeutic solutions that are currently lacking in the market, ultimately benefiting both healthcare providers and patients.

Confo Therapeutics

Series A in 2019
Confo Therapeutics is a drug discovery company based in Brussels, Belgium, founded in 2015. The company specializes in developing internal drug discovery programs focused on G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) to address unmet medical needs. Utilizing its proprietary CONFO® technology, Confo Therapeutics stabilizes inherently unstable functional conformations of GPCRs, providing a robust starting point for drug discovery. This approach reveals previously inaccessible structural features of these receptors, facilitating the identification of novel agonists that enhance therapeutic interventions.

Minoryx

Series B in 2018
Minoryx Therapeutics is a biotechnology company based in Mataro, Spain, founded in 2011. The company specializes in discovering and developing innovative treatments for life-threatening rare diseases, with a particular focus on pediatric neurometabolic conditions of genetic origin. Minoryx is known for its development of pharmacological chaperones, a new generation of small molecule drugs designed to restore protein functionality, thereby addressing unmet medical needs in genetic diseases that severely affect the central nervous system. Additionally, Minoryx engages in repositioning-based projects to explore alternative therapeutic options for these challenging conditions.

ITeos Therapeutics

Series B in 2018
Iteos Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery and development of immuno-oncology therapeutics for cancer patients. Its product pipeline includes EOS-850, a small molecule antagonist of the adenosine A2a receptor that is an open-label Phase 1/2a clinical trial in adult patients; and EOS-448, an antagonist of TIGIT or T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains, which is in Phase 1/2a clinical trial. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Aelin Therapeutics

Series A in 2017
Aelin Therapeutics NV is a Belgian biotherapeutics company founded in 2017, focused on developing antibiotics and therapeutics utilizing its innovative Pept-in technology. This technology leverages protein aggregation to achieve functional knockdown of target proteins, making it applicable against challenging conditions such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other undruggable targets in humans. Aelin Therapeutics was established as a collaboration between VIB and partner universities including KU Leuven, VUB, and UGent, building on the pioneering research of noted structural biologists. The company has compiled a robust preclinical proof of concept data package, demonstrating the diverse applications of its technology across various biological targets, including bacteria, cancer cells, fungi, viruses, and plant cells. Aelin Therapeutics differentiates itself through the unique mechanism of action of its Pept-in technology, which allows for the rational design of biotherapeutics that can target intracellular spaces often inaccessible to conventional small molecules or antibodies. The company is headquartered in Heverlee, Belgium.

Horama SAS

Series B in 2017
Horama SAS is a biotechnology company based in Paris, France, established in 2014. It specializes in developing gene therapy products aimed at treating rare ophthalmic diseases, particularly targeting inherited retinal dystrophies and retinopathies. By utilizing recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors, Horama's therapies aim to deliver a functional copy of mutated genes to affected retinal cells. This approach seeks to restore normal cell function, prevent further deterioration of vision, and ultimately improve or restore visual capabilities for patients. The company is positioning itself as a significant player in the ophthalmic gene therapy sector, with the goal of enhancing patient autonomy while also contributing to reduced healthcare costs.

Immunic Therapeutics

Series A in 2017
Immunic Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing selective oral immunology therapies aimed at treating chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Its primary product, IMU-838, is a selective immune modulator currently in Phase 2 clinical trials for ulcerative colitis, relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, and Crohn's disease. Additionally, the company is advancing IMU-935, an inverse agonist targeting RORgt, and IMU-856, which aims to restore intestinal barrier function in patients with conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Immunic Therapeutics is headquartered in New York, New York, and seeks to provide effective treatment options for a range of chronic inflammatory conditions through its innovative drug development initiatives.

OCTIMET Oncology

Series A in 2017
OCTIMET oncology’s overall strategy is to advance the development of discovery stage molecules by employing innovative patient selection and pharmacodynamic biomarker-based strategies, as well as an innovative clinical development strategy.

Promethera Biosciences

Series C in 2016
Promethera® Biosciences is a biopharmaceutical company, spin-off of the Université Catholique de Louvain, that develops innovative treatments based on allogeneic adult stem cell technology. Promethera® Biosciences' mission is to discover, develop and commercialize cell therapy products to treat liver diseases in an innovative way using allogenic progenitor cells from healthy human livers. Promethera® Biosciences develops two products based on a newly discovered and patented progenitor cell type: the human Adult Liver-Derived Mesenchymal Progenitor Cell (hALDMSC):

ITeos Therapeutics

Series A in 2012
Iteos Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery and development of immuno-oncology therapeutics for cancer patients. Its product pipeline includes EOS-850, a small molecule antagonist of the adenosine A2a receptor that is an open-label Phase 1/2a clinical trial in adult patients; and EOS-448, an antagonist of TIGIT or T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains, which is in Phase 1/2a clinical trial. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.