PLNT startup ExCulture B.V., which focuses on the development of an animal-free heparin replacement via fermentation, is proud to announce that it has closed its latest round of investment with Capricorn Partners and TTT Medtech.
The investment allows ExCulture to continue comparison studies between porcine heparin and ExCulture’s heparin substitute according to pharmacopoeia guidelines. This is essential for advancing the regulatory pathway.
New investment round
The investment round was funded by the Dutch Industrial Biotech Seed Fund, managed by Capricorn Partners’ Cleantech Team, and Medtech TTT, a national platform managed by Innovation Industries.
This funding complements funds obtained by ExCulture in 2023 from UNIIQ, Delft Enterprises (Delft University of Technology) and Libertatis Ergo Holding (Leiden University). Each of the existing and new investors brings a broad network and valuable expertise ranging from industrial biotechnology to pharmaceutical development.
With this new funding, ExCulture will:
- Improve product development: Continue chemical and biological characterization studies to advance regulatory development and meet market requirements.
- Scale up production: Optimize the bioprocess and prepare for pilot scale production.
- Expand research: Invest in research and development to explore additional applications of their fermentation platform technology and increase its impact.
ExCulture's mission
Aisling Foley, co-founder and CEO of ExCulture, highlights how the mission of ExCulture’s newest investors – to support emerging, innovative technologies – aligns perfectly with ExCulture’s ambitions; “Heparin is the most widely used blood thinner in the world, so it’s surprising that in the 21st century such an essential drug is still produced as a byproduct of pig slaughter. This method of production has led to global shortages since 2017 and has exposed the supply chain to contamination crises in the past. ExCulture’s goal is to use our new, animal-free bioprocess to produce a safer product through a more sustainable process. Ultimately, we aim to create a more future-proof method of biopharmaceutical production.”
