The NLC Health Impact Fund

With over 50 million people living with Alzheimer's and numbers expected to triple by 2050, there's an urgent need for effective treatments. Alzheimer's is a leading cause of death and imposes a global economic burden of $1 trillion annually. Our novel DYRK1A inhibitor aims to slow or even reverse Alzheimer's progression by targeting key pathways with high specificity and effective blood-brain barrier penetration. This innovative small molecule offers superior disease-modifying potential, addressing current treatment limitations and providing new hope for patients and healthcare systems worldwide.

MLA Diagnostics improves melanoma diagnosis, offering personalized measurement of malignancy levels. Traditional diagnosis often leads to overtreatment or undertreatment, resulting in patient distress or undetected cancer progression. By analyzing methylation, our test provides accurate prognosis, enabling tailored treatment plans and saving lives. With the melanoma therapeutics market on the rise, our innovative solution is poised to make a significant impact, improve patient outcomes and create opportunities.

StarTric, created by cardiovascular experts, developed a new, less invasive device to fix a serious heart valve problem, Tricuspid Regurgitation (TR). Addressing Tricuspid Regurgitation (TR), a severe condition with high mortality rates, StarTric's device offers a safer alternative to open-heart surgery. The technology can be implanted via a transfemoral catheter, combining the safety of minimally invasive methods with the proven efficacy of the Clover technique, aiming to provide effective treatment to millions of TR patients worldwide who currently lack suitable options.

XtRNA Bio is developing a pioneering gene therapy to treat Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) disease type 2D, leveraging tRNA supplementation therapies. Their patented treatment targets mutations in tRNA synthetases, offering a new therapeutic modality with vast potential for various diseases. They are raising €5M to develop a clinical candidate for CMT2D and expand their pipeline. CMT, a hereditary and heterogeneous disease, affects 1 in 2500 people worldwide, causing progressive muscle wasting, loss of sensation, and chronic pain, with no current cure.

Implant Preservation Devices has developed a handheld device to tackle a common problem after joint replacement surgeries prosthetic joint infections (PJI). This device applies heat to implants using induction, effectively targeting and eliminating bacteria that cause these infections. By reducing the risk of recurrent infections, it offers a quick, sterile, and convenient treatment option during surgery, potentially benefiting patients beyond just those undergoing joint replacements.

UltraTIL enables real-time tool-in-lesion confirmation during endobronchial lung cancer biopsies. This compact, side-viewing ultrasound probe is designed for the peripheral airways. UltraTil can be inserted through the working channel of a bronchoscope or robotic platform. By visualising lesions perpendicular to the airway and displaying the needle or biopsy instrument entering the target, UltraTIL improves the identification and sampling of small, eccentric and hard-to-reach lesions. The result: higher diagnostic accuracy, less reliance on additional positioning instruments, and shorter, more efficient procedures.

Neurolieve Biosciences, a pre-clinical stage company, is developing Fc2-13 GalR2, an innovative bioengineered protein (FC fusion protein) targeting neuropathic pain. Peripheral Neuropathy, a debilitating condition affecting millions, damages the peripheral nervous system, causing severe discomfort and lowering quality of life. The fusion protein reduces peripheral neuron excitability, providing pain relief. After successful in vitro and in vivo validations, the company is advancing towards GLP toxicology studies completion.

Epilepsy causes uncontrolled seizures, greatly reducing quality of life and sometimes leading to early death. Over 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, but only two-thirds respond to medication. For those with drug-resistant epilepsy, treatment options are limited and often ineffective. MIR Therapeutics is developing a new gene therapy to provide lasting and powerful seizure control for drug-resistant epilepsy patients. Their therapy delivers microRNA-335 to the affected brain regions using an AAV9 viral vector, which helps control hyperexcitability by regulating voltage-gated sodium channels. This results in fewer and less severe seizures.