Spica Therapeutics, a pioneering biotech company focused on harnessing macrophage biology to develop transformative therapies across multiple disease areas, announced that it has been awarded a €1.0 million grant from Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO).
This two-year grant will accelerate the development of Spica’s lead anti-CD163 depleting monoclonal antibody program in oncology, propelling it toward early Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies.
As part of the VLAIO-supported initiative, Spica will collaborate with leading academic partners in Flanders:
- The Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MITH) research group at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), led by Prof. Nick Devoogdt, renowned for his translational work in radiotracer development for non-invasive imaging of cancer and immune cells.
- The Myeloid Cell Immunology Lab at VIB and the Brussels Center for Immunology (BCIM) at VUB, under the leadership of Prof. Jo Van Ginderachter, internationally recognized for his research on the role of myeloid cells - particularly macrophages - in cancer and infectious diseases.
“These collaborations will be instrumental in deepening our understanding of macrophage biology and accelerating the translation of our therapeutic candidates. We’re excited to work alongside such esteemed partners to bring new hope to patients.” - Hilde Revets, Director of Non-Clinical Operations and Anders Etzerodt, CSO at Spica Therapeutics.