MimeCure has secured a €3 million investement for the development of a regenerative medicine to treat chronic lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis. The funding will enable MimeCure to accelerate the completion of the preclinical phase and begin preparations for clinical trials, which are scheduled to start in late 2027. The investment round is led by Addington Investment Group and supported by co-investor Apsara Investments.
MimeCure is a UG spin-off and an initiative of Dr Luke van der Koog (CEO), Prof. Anika Nagelkerke, Prof. Reinoud Gosens, and Prof. Erik Frijlink (Director).
MimeCure focuses on the development of a regenerative medicine for chronic lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis. It is estimated that around 2.5 million people suffer from this disease. A further half a million people die from the disease every year. Severe shortness of breath, fatigue, and limited exercise capacity lead to a significantly reduced quality of life. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is three to five years.
Existing medicines can slow the progression of the disease, but cannot repair the damaged lung tissue. MimeCure is developing a fundamentally new therapeutic approach that specifically targets the repair of damaged lung tissue, rather than merely inhibiting further damage.
The medicine is based on MC002, an active fragment of the body’s own protein mimecan, and initially targets pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung condition in which healthy lung tissue is irreversibly replaced by scar tissue. The medicine is administered via inhalation, ensuring the active ingredient is delivered directly to the right place in the lungs. The therapy reduces scarring and activates the natural repair capacity of lung tissue.
Thanks to this combined action, MimeCure is positioning itself at the forefront of regenerative pulmonary medicine, and the therapy has the potential to become a first-in-class treatment for chronic lung diseases, including COPD.
COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide, and currently there are no therapies available for this disease that repair damaged lung tissue.
Luke van der Koog, CEO and founder of MimeCure: ‘This step will enable us to advance MC002 towards clinical trials and generate the first clinical evidence. At the same time, we see this as an important step in the development of a broader regenerative approach to fibrotic diseases. Drug development is a long-term process in which caution is essential, but this clearly brings us one step closer to new treatment options for patients.’
Turning plans into results: that is the central focus of the fifth LIFE Science Conference, taking place on Tuesday, 22 September 2026 at Forum Groningen. The LIFE Cooperative will bring together professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers and policymakers from the life sciences and health sector around one key question: how do we translate vision into concrete impact? The keynote speaker will be Peter Wennink, former CEO of ASML and one of the most influential leaders in the Dutch technology sector. In 2025, he presented his advisory report ‘The Road to Future Prosperity’, in which he advocates targeted investments in innovation to strengthen the Netherlands’ long-term earning capacity.
In the North, and in Groningen in particular, there are dozens of companies working on innovations in the fields of life sciences and health. There are many hidden gems among them, says Ronald Hesse, director of the LIFE Cooperative partnership. “Millions of patients worldwide have already benefited from innovations developed here in Groningen,” he says.
Researchers at the UMCG and their spin-off CC Diagnostics, located on Campus Groningen, have developed a new test that could make cervical cancer screening more efficient and user-friendly.
