European grants fuel the development of new solutions

Avelo from Schlieren and two organisations from the Netherlands and Germany have joined forces in the BreathCounts consortium to create a disposable breath collection device incorporating an electrospun filter and a high-throughput diagnostic assay capable of screening multiple pathogens at the point of need, hence enabling healthcare providers to accurately diagnose lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) using a patient’s breath as sample material. The AveloCollect breath collector, developed by Avelo, represents a breakthrough in LRTI sample collection because current methods are a major limiting factor for accurate diagnosis.

AveloCollect captures biological sample material, including the infection-causing pathogens, from the patient’s breath in a non-invasive and fast manner. The device also incorporates a high-efficiency filter material created by a specialised manufacturing process called electrospinning. Vivolta, a world-leading company in medical electrospinning, will be responsible for optimising and scaling this process up for the commercial phase by leveraging its proprietary MediSpin platform, which is the world’s first and only fully automated mass production system qualified for electrospun medical products. The third company in this project is BLINK, which develops Respirex, a specialised LRTI test that can rapidly identify multiple pathogens simultaneously, measured from a single AveloCollect breath sample. The Respirex assay will be produced in the form of a cartridge, containing all reagents necessary for the test. The project will span two years and lay the foundation for market launch in 2027.  

Interax secures €700K
InterAx Biotech AG has received a €700’000 grant as part of the EUR 3.7M Horizon Europe EIC Pathfinder project, aiming to implement innovative methods for characterising the intracellular functions of drug candidates, a critical component in the selection process of lead compounds. A key objective is to generate high-quality datasets to train AI algorithms to elucidate biological responses. The ETH and the Paul Scherrer Institut spinoff is pioneering computational pharmacology with its integrated drug discovery process combining biochemical compound screening, cell pathways mathematical modelling, and Artificial intelligence-based chemical structure-to-function relationship. This unique approach enables the rapid and precise identification of novel cellular mechanisms to develop differentiated products that stand out for their effectiveness and safety profiles. This platform unlocks previously intractable targets, shortens timelines for drug discovery from years to months and reduces risks.

Aica leads Eurostars Batterie Recycling
Recycling batteries will help close the gap between excess demand and undersupply of batteries, save CO2 and maximise the reuse of raw materials. In the Eurostars project LAMBDA, three organisations are exploring new approaches using state-of-the-art AI techniques to develop a pipeline that teaches industrial robots advanced manipulation techniques for the automatic disassembly of batteries. Each consortium member brings unique expertise that can complement the know-how of the other members. The Lausanne-based startup AICA SA, a robotics and machine learning technology specialist, is the main implementation partner. Its flagship product is an adaptive force-fit assembly process for automotive planetary gearboxes, from concept to production-ready solution. The startup was founded in 2017  in the renowned LASA lab at EPFL under the direction of Professor Aude Billard and has already received more than CHF 1.5 million in funding from Schaeffler VC, Spicehaus Partners, Hightech Gründerfonds, Innosuisse, Venture Kick, In-nogrant and Innobooster.

(Press release/RAN)