1 The EIC Accelerator Project

EIC Accelerator Program Overview

The EIC Accelerator program, part of the European Innovation Council (EIC), is designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups in Europe that are seeking to scale up their innovative ideas into market-ready products, processes, or services. The program focuses particularly on deep-tech innovations that address significant societal challenges and market needs.

Funding Structure

The EIC Accelerator offers a blended financing model, combining grants and equity investments to provide comprehensive support for scaling businesses.

Purpose in the European DeepTech Ecosystem

The EIC Accelerator plays a pivotal role in the European DeepTech and startup ecosystem by fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. By providing substantial financial support, the program aims to:

• Promote High-Risk Innovations: The EIC Accelerator encourages the development of high-risk, high-potential innovations that may struggle to secure funding from traditional private investors due to their uncertain nature.
• Support Market Entry: By facilitating access to funding, the program assists companies in moving from the prototype phase to commercial viability, thus accelerating their time to market.
• Enhance Collaboration: The EIC Accelerator fosters partnerships between startups and larger corporations, research institutions, and funding bodies, creating an integrated ecosystem that supports innovation.

Role of EIC Accelerator in Scaling Companies

The EIC Accelerator not only provides financial resources but also strategic guidance and mentorship. Successful candidates benefit from:

• Business Development Support: Access to experts who can provide insights into market trends, business strategies, and operational scaling.
• Networking Opportunities: Connections with potential investors, partners, and customers, enhancing visibility and credibility in the market.
• Facilitating Private Sector Funding: By providing initial funding, the EIC Accelerator reduces perceived risk, making it easier for startups to attract additional investment from private sector investors.

Case Study: PAMGENE INTERNATIONAL BV and the ROUTINE Project

Company Overview: PAMGENE INTERNATIONAL BV, based in the Netherlands, is a pioneering biotechnology firm specializing in developing advanced technologies for personalized medicine. Their innovative approaches focus on improving cancer diagnostics and treatment.

Project Acronym: ROUTINE
Project Description: The ROUTINE project is centered on creating a cancer-agnostic immunotherapy prediction blood test. This test aims to identify the most effective immunotherapy treatments for cancer patients based on their unique tumor biology, rather than adhering to traditional treatment protocols that often do not consider individual variability.

Technology Basics and Background

The ROUTINE project leverages cutting-edge technologies in genomics and immunology to develop a blood test that can predict patient responses to various immunotherapies. The key technological aspects include:

• Biomarker Identification: Utilizing advanced algorithms and machine learning, PAMGENE’s technology analyzes blood samples to identify specific biomarkers associated with different cancer types. This analysis aids in understanding how a patient’s immune system may respond to various immunotherapy treatments.
• High-Throughput Screening: The project employs high-throughput screening techniques to evaluate multiple treatment options simultaneously, thus streamlining the identification of the most effective immunotherapy for individual patients.
• Data Integration: By integrating genomic data with clinical outcomes, the ROUTINE project aims to enhance the predictive accuracy of the blood test, ultimately improving patient outcomes and personalizing treatment plans.

The EIC Accelerator's support enables PAMGENE to advance this critical project, potentially revolutionizing cancer treatment by providing tailored immunotherapy options that align with individual patient profiles. Through the ROUTINE project, PAMGENE aims to not only improve patient outcomes but also contribute to the broader field of personalized medicine, establishing itself as a leader in the biotechnology landscape.

2 The Funding Rounds

Financing Raised

Since winning the EIC Accelerator funding in March 2023, PamGene International BV, a Dutch company specializing in in-vitro diagnostics and biomarker services, has successfully raised significant non-dilutive funding. The most notable is the €7.5 million awarded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program to develop and market its IOpener® blood test for immunotherapy response prediction in metastatic cancer patients. This grant provides both direct financial support and equity investment opportunities via the EIC Fund.

In addition to EIC Accelerator funding, PamGene secured €1 million from the Eurostars SME programme in January 2023. As of early 2024, available data indicates that PamGene’s total cumulative funding stands at approximately €20.6 million.

Funding Rounds: Timing and Amounts

• January 2023: Received €1 million grant from Eurostars SME programme.
• March/June 2023: Selected as one of 51 winners across Europe for EIC Accelerator blended finance; awarded up to €7.5 million (grant plus potential equity investment).
• Cumulative Funding: As of early 2024, total known raised funds are around €20.6 million.

No additional large-scale equity rounds or venture capital-led series rounds have been publicly disclosed since March 2023.

Investor Information

PamGene’s recent major investor is primarily institutional/public:

• European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund: Offers a combination of grants and potential equity investments through its accelerator program.
• Additional public innovation programs like Eurostars have contributed earlier-stage grants.

There is no evidence from available sources indicating recent private venture capital involvement or new lead investors post-EIC award as of May 2025.

Details Related to Funding Rounds

The EIC Accelerator award provides blended finance—meaning it includes both a grant component (€2.5+ million) and an option for further equity investment via the EIC Fund up to a total package value (€7.5 million). The process involved highly competitive selection with over five hundred applicants reviewed by panels comprising experienced investors and entrepreneurs before final interviews were conducted during spring/summer 2023.

These funds are earmarked specifically for clinical utility studies across Europe, advancing commercialization activities for IOpener®, partnership acceleration, regulatory processes (CE-IVD registrations), product validation studies, and expansion into new European markets.

Company Valuations

No public information is available regarding explicit company valuations resulting from these rounds or subsequent secondary transactions as of May 2025.

Exit Events: IPOs or Acquisitions

There are no records indicating that PamGene International BV has undergone an initial public offering (IPO), been acquired by another entity, or completed any major buyout transaction since receiving its EIC Accelerator award in March-June 2023 through May 2nd, 2025. The company's communications focus on operational expansion rather than exit activity at this stage.

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Sources

• PamGene company information, funding & investors - startups.eithealth.eu
• PamGene company information - brnoregion.com
• PamGene awarded €7.5 Million EIC Accelerator Funding – pamgene.com
• News - pamgene.com

3 The Press Releases

PamGene International BV: EIC Accelerator Funding and Strategic Developments PamGene International BV, a Netherlands-based biotechnology company, secured EIC Accelerator funding in March 2023 to advance its IOpener® platform, a CE-IVD-registered diagnostic tool designed to guide immunotherapy decisions for advanced melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The €261 million EIC Accelerator call awarded blended finance (grant + equity) to 51 companies, with PamGene using the funds to expand clinical validation studies and accelerate commercialization.

Key Developments

• Technology Advancements: The IOpener® platform analyzes multi-omics biomarkers (e.g., kinome profiles) from blood samples to predict immunotherapy efficacy. Recent efforts focus on pan-cancer applications, including a Eurostars-funded collaboration with Alithea Genomics and Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) to develop a blood test predicting immune checkpoint inhibitor outcomes across cancers.
• Regulatory Milestones: Achieved CE-IVD certification for its IOpener®-melanoma test under the IVDD Directive and renewed ISO 13485:2016 certification for diagnostic device production.
• Partnerships: The MAINLINE consortium received €1 million via Eurostars to validate the pan-cancer test’s clinical utility.

While direct press releases from PamGene’s website (pamgene.com) are not available in the provided sources, third-party announcements highlight their post-EIC strategy emphasizing clinical validation and partnership scaling.

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Sources

• EIC Accelerator winners March 2023
• Catalyze-supported winners
• PamGene’s Eurostars project & certifications

4 The Technology Advancements

PamGene International BV: Post-EIC Accelerator Funding Developments PamGene International BV, a Netherlands-based in-vitro diagnostics company, has advanced its IOpener® blood test platform for immunotherapy guidance since securing €7.5 million in EIC Accelerator funding in March 2023. Key developments include:

Technology and Clinical Advancements

• Platform Expansion: The EIC funding is being used to develop IOpener into a tumor-agnostic platform, integrating multi-omics biomarkers (e.g., kinase activity profiling and mRNA analysis) to improve predictive performance for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies.
• Clinical Validation: PamGene has intensified efforts to conduct prospective clinical utility studies, particularly in Europe, to validate IOpener’s ability to predict immunotherapy efficacy and toxicity.
• Scientific Presentations: At the AACR Annual Meeting 2025, PamGene presented six scientific posters demonstrating how its kinase activity profiling technology accelerates drug discovery and biomarker identification.

Market Demonstrations and Collaborations

• Diagnostic Commercialization: The company’s CE-IVD-registered tests—IOpener®-NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) and IOpener®-melanoma—are positioned as tools for clinicians to optimize treatment decisions. Collaborative projects with Alithea Genomics, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Novigenix, and Radboud University Medical Center aim to develop pan-cancer liquid biopsy tests combining mRNA sequencing and kinase activity profiling.
• Infrastructure Growth: Plans cited post-funding include expanding commercialization activities through partnerships and establishing a U.S.-based lab (mentioned pre-Accelerator but likely accelerated by the award).

IP/Publications Status

While no new patents or peer-reviewed publications are explicitly mentioned post-March 2023, PamGene’s recent scientific contributions include:

• A 2023 study (Molecular Oncology) co-authored with collaborators on kinase activity applications in oncology.
• Continued use of its proprietary BioNavigator software for high-throughput kinome data analysis across research partnerships.

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Sources

5 The Partnerships and Customers

PamGene International BV's Strategic Partnerships and Market Positioning Post-EIC Accelerator Funding

PamGene International BV, a Netherlands-based in-vitro diagnostics company, has established key partnerships to advance its IOpener® blood test, designed to predict immunotherapy response in cancer patients. The company secured €7.5 million from the EIC Accelerator program in March 2023, enabling further development and commercialization of its technology. Below is an analysis of its partnerships, market strategy, and technological advancements:

Key Partnerships

• Alithea Genomics SA: A Swiss transcriptomics firm collaborating on a pan-cancer blood test to predict immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy and toxicity. The partnership integrates Alithea’s BRB-seq platform for RNA profiling with PamGene’s kinase activity profiling.
• Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV): Provides clinical expertise and access to whole-blood samples from ICI-treated patients for biomarker validation. CHUV contributes to developing a multi-omics model combining kinome activity, transcriptomics, and clinical data.

Purpose of Collaborations

The MAINLINE consortium (with Alithea and CHUV) aims to create the first pan-cancer IVD test (IOpener-Dx 2.0) for ICI therapy guidance. This test will address limitations in current biomarkers by offering a broader predictive scope across cancer types, potentially enabling earlier use of ICIs.

Market Positioning

By integrating kinase activity profiles with transcriptomic data, PamGene positions itself as a leader in multi-omics diagnostics, targeting the growing demand for precision oncology tools. The EIC funding accelerates regulatory compliance, clinical validation, and global commercialization efforts.

Technological Advancements & Scaling

• Kinase Profiling: PamGene’s peptide microarray technology enables real-time measurement of kinase activity from minimal blood samples (e.g., 200 µL). The EIC grant supports scaling production capacity and enhancing proprietary algorithms.
• Multi-Omics Integration: Collaboration with Alithea enhances PamGene’s ability to correlate kinome dynamics with transcriptional changes, improving predictive accuracy for ICI outcomes.

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Sources

• PamGene awarded €7.5 million EIC Accelerator funding
• PamGene-Alithea-CHUV consortium secures Eurostars grant
• Alithea-PamGene-CHUV pan-cancer blood test development
• Liquid Biopsy January Roundup mentioning MAINLINE consortium

6 The Hiring and Company Growth

PamGene International BV: Post-EIC Accelerator Funding Growth and Developments

PamGene International BV, based in the Netherlands, has been a significant player in the diagnostics and biotech sector, particularly after receiving €7.5 million in funding from the EIC Accelerator in March 2023. This funding was pivotal for the development and marketing of its IOpener® blood test, designed to predict the response to immunotherapy in metastatic cancer patients.

Current Team Size and Headcount

As of now, specific details about the current headcount or team size of PamGene International BV are not publicly available. However, the company's involvement in multiple scientific projects and collaborations suggests a team with diverse skill sets.

Hiring and Team Growth

PamGene has been actively involved in conferences and scientific meetings, indicating ongoing growth and expansion. For instance, the company participated in the AACR meeting in San Diego with several poster presentations, highlighting its innovative applications of kinase activity profiling technology. While there is no specific information on current hiring processes or key positions recently filled, the EIC funding likely supports both existing team growth and new talent acquisition.

Growth and Scaling

The EIC Accelerator funding has been crucial for PamGene's growth, enabling the company to advance its IOpener® test and further establish its position in the immunotherapy guidance market. This development signifies a significant step forward in PamGene's mission to support personalized medicine through advanced diagnostic tools.

New Team Members and Future Impact

New team members, particularly those with expertise in molecular diagnostics and biotechnology, are essential for PamGene's continued innovation and scalability. As the company expands its product offerings, these new members will play a vital role in driving research and commercialization efforts, ultimately contributing to the future success of PamGene.

Management and Founding Team Changes

There is no publicly available information on recent changes in PamGene's management or founding team since the EIC funding announcement.

Conclusion

PamGene International BV continues to advance its presence in the biotech and diagnostics industry, leveraging the EIC Accelerator funding to drive innovation and growth. While specific details about team size or current hiring activities are limited, the company's participation in scientific forums and collaborations underscores its ongoing expansion and commitment to personalized medicine solutions.

Sources

• Pamgene
• PamGene International B.V.
• News - Pamgene
• PamGene at AACR 2023
• EIC Accelerator Funding

7 The Media Features and Publications

PamGene International B.V.

PamGene International B.V., a Dutch biotechnology company based in Den Bosch, the Netherlands, has been making significant strides in the field of personalized medicine and diagnostics. Since receiving the EIC Accelerator funding on March 22, 2023, the company has continued to advance its innovative technologies and participate in various scientific events.

Media Features and Publications

PamGene has been featured in several publications, particularly for its advancements in kinase activity profiling and the development of its IOpener® immunotherapy guidance tests. For example, the company announced the presentation of seven scientific posters at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting, highlighting the applications of its kinase activity profiling platform. Additionally, PamGene was recognized for receiving €7.5 million in EIC Accelerator funding to further develop its IOpener® blood test for predicting immunotherapy response in metastatic cancer.

Content from Publications

Publications have focused on PamGene's innovative approaches to personalized medicine, especially its IOpener® platform, which predicts patient response to immunotherapy using a simple blood draw. This technology has been noted for its potential to revolutionize the precision medicine sector by enabling widespread use of immunotherapy across various cancer stages.

Podcasts and Interviews

Although there are no specific mentions of podcasts or interviews featuring the PamGene team in the available search results, the company's involvement in scientific conferences and its leadership in biotechnology suggest that such engagements may occur through industry forums and academic meetings.

Conference and Fair Visits

PamGene actively participates in major scientific conferences. For instance, the company presented at the AACR Annual Meeting in San Diego, showcasing its kinase activity profiling technology and engaging with both academic and pharma-biotech sectors. This participation highlights PamGene's commitment to advancing cancer research and diagnostics.

Involvement in Events

PamGene's involvement in events like the AACR meeting underscores its role in promoting personalized medicine through cutting-edge technologies. The company's presentations and collaborations with researchers demonstrate its dedication to improving cancer treatment outcomes.

Sources

• Pamgene
• About us - Pamgene
• PamGene International B.V. full company profile
• PamGene International B.V. - PharmaBoardroom
• Career - Pamgene
• News - Pamgene
• PamGene announces 7 poster presentations from its collaborators
• News - PamGene - LARVOL VERI
• PAMGENE INTERNATIONAL B.V. | Federal Award Recipient Profile