Pioneering biotech company Spica, with headquarters in Belgium and roots and research in Denmark has announced a strategic collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and VIB. This partnership marks a major step forward in the fight against cancer, fibroinflammatory, and autoimmune diseases.
Spica is at the forefront of targeting disease-driving macrophage subpopulations to address major unmet medical needs. The company recently secured a €10 million seed funding round, co-led by Bioqube Ventures and the Flanders Future Tech Fund, managed by PMV, with participation from Qbic. This funding will support the progression of multiple lead programs into early Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies.
A key partner in this initiative is the Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MITH) research group at VUB, led by Prof. Nick Devoogdt. Renowned for pioneering work in the development and bench-to-bedside translation of radiotracers to noninvasively image cancer and immune cells, the MITH lab - along with the Brussels Center for Immunology (BCIM), under Prof. Jo Van Ginderachter’s leadership - brings vital imaging and diagnostic expertise to the table. Together with Prof. Jo Van Ginderachter’s team at VIB, renowned for their work on the role of myeloid cells (mostly macrophages) in cancer and infectious diseases and a core member of the INTEGRAL project, this collaboration aims to accelerate the development of Spica’s therapeutic pipeline.
A special acknowledgment goes to Hilde Revets, whose distinguished career in immunology and biotech spans from student and professor at VUB to leadership roles in prominent VIB/VUB spin-offs such as Ablynx and Biotalys. Now a co-owner at PHiRE Consulting, Hilde was instrumental in forging the connection between Spica and the VUB/VIB ecosystem, helping to lay the groundwork for this impactful collaboration.