Uneedle, the high-tech developer and manufacturer of silicon microneedles, has raised €1.5 million from a consortium of Oost NL and Twente-based investors, with Oost NL investing through the Innovatiefonds Overijssel. The new funding will enable the company to further advance its Bella-Vue microneedle, designed specifically for eye injections, and strengthen its collaborations with leading biotech companies worldwide.
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A spin-off from the University of Twente (UT), Uneedle develops specialized microneedles for suprachoroidal injections, an emerging method for delivering drugs directly to the retina. This approach opens the door to new treatments for several severe eye diseases, including wet and dry AMD and geographic atrophy.
What sets Uneedle’s technology apart is the exceptional sharpness of its needles, explains Jeroen Wissink, CEO of Uneedle:
“The tip of our microneedle is extremely sharp. This ensures greater precision and faster drug absorption compared to conventional steel needles.”
Investment to drive market expansion
In recent years, Uneedle has successfully licensed its microneedle technology to several biotech companies, particularly for new cell and gene therapy applications. A key milestone is that since 2020, Uneedle’s Twente-developed microneedles have been approved for use in both the US and European markets.
With this new investment, Uneedle can pursue additional partnerships. “Our goal is to improve sight for people with progressive eye conditions and prevent vision loss. We are very pleased with this investment, it enables us to further develop this product in collaboration with the right market partners. Feedback from the market has been very positive,” says Wissink.
Annick Kronenburg, Investment Manager Health at Oost NL, adds:
“Uneedle is a great example of a regional company with the potential to make a tremendous impact on treating eye diseases that are currently untreatable. Thanks to the company’s existing international partnerships, this innovation can make a global difference.”
Strengthening the MedTech and ChipTech Ecosystem
The investment in Uneedle aligns strongly with the knowledge-intensive MedTech and ChipTech ecosystem in the eastern Netherlands. Uneedle plays a significant role within this ecosystem: both the development and production of its technology take place entirely in-house at the MESA+ Nanolab and the High Tech Factory (HTF) on the University of Twente campus.
Source: Oost NL