The NLC Health Impact Fund

PEP Health addresses the complexity of monitoring healthcare quality by offering a platform that tackles key challenges in quality assessment. By combining multiple sources of patient feedback, including social media, PEP provides near real-time assessments of quality for hospitals and departments. This approach reduces costs, improves timeliness, and enhances trustworthiness compared to traditional methods. With potential customers ranging from healthcare providers to patient organizations, PEP's underlying algorithm has been validated across industries, including higher education.

More information coming soon

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.

Amotio addresses the challenge of revision surgeries for hip, knee, and shoulder implants with their innovative approach. Collaborating with expert revision surgeons and guided by NLC, they offer a patented solution for improved implant revision surgery. By developing unique bone cement removal devices and integrating advanced patient-specific 3D surgical planning and printing technology, Amotio aims to set a new standard for excellence in these surgeries. Their goal is to reduce complexity, trauma, and recovery time while cutting costs for healthcare providers.

MindAffect is redefining what’s possible in diagnostics. By harnessing Brain-Computer Interface technology and AI, we can “read” how the brain reacts to sound and visual stimuli—objectively, in real time, and without requiring a single response from the patient. At the core is our patented and clinically validated Rapid CAEP® technology, which captures the brain’s automatic reactions. This breakthrough allows clinicians to diagnose patients who would otherwise be difficult or impossible to test—such as infants, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. In a world where over two billion people are underserved by current diagnostic methods, this changes everything. Our first product, Sofi, is the world’s fastest objective hearing diagnostic system, delivering accurate hearing thresholds in minutes. Sofi has been validated in leading hospitals, championed by key opinion leaders across the audiology community, and recognized globally—winning the Innovation Award at the World Congress of Audiology

NLC's venture, Profionics, advances Cardiff University's sepsis research with a biomarker test combining AI, gene expression, and metabolic analysis for rapid, accurate diagnosis. This test, which works in under 30 minutes with a drop of blood, surpasses traditional methods by quickly identifying those needing antibiotics and reducing unnecessary use, thus combating antimicrobial resistance and saving lives. Particularly impactful in neonatal care, it ensures timely detection critical for newborn survival. Founded by NLC, Cardiff University, and CEO Darren Fergus, Profionics leverages extensive research and a blood sample BioBank, positioning itself as a leader in host response diagnostic testing.

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.

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.