[London, 19th February 2024] GlycanAge, a biotech startup pioneering the field of glycan biomarkers, announced the successful completion of its £3.3 million ($4.2 million) seed funding round, led by venture capital fund LAUNCHub Ventures and UK-based deep-tech fund Kadmos Capital. This marks a substantial leap forward in the company’s quest to redefine personalized preventative healthcare.

The field of glycobiology, despite its potential, has historically been challenged by its inherent scientific complexities and the absence of necessary technologies. Yet, the landscape is changing rapidly, thanks to breakthroughs in technology that underscore the immense promise of glycobiology in predicting diseases, guiding interventions, and tailoring therapies. At the heart of these advancements is GlycanAge’s co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Gordan Lauc. Alongside his team, Dr. Lauc has been instrumental in advancing high throughput glycomic analysis and harnessing the power of glycan biomarkers for precision medicine. In 2017, Dr. Lauc took a significant step by initiating the Human Glycome Project. This project is set to establish glycomics as a pivotal technology in disease detection, patient stratification, and monitoring therapy responses. Recent studies validate the critical role of glycans in the body’s biological functions, revealing that they undergo changes in over 70 diseases and in some cases up to a decade prior to symptoms and diagnosis. These changes are influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, epigenetics, gender, metabolism, and environmental conditions. GlycanAge, born out of the desire to commercialize this ~20 years of research and $40mn in grant funding, offers a cutting-edge biological age test that utilizes glycan biomarkers to enable early prevention strategies for both consumers and healthcare professionals. 

The newly acquired capital will be instrumental in the strategic shift from the longevity space to the broader diagnostics market. With the goal of developing disease-specific prognostic biomarkers, this funding will enable GlycanAge to establish a clear regulatory strategy and product pipeline. This endeavor is further bolstered by significant grant support, including a $140,000 grant from Mubadala’s accelerator program HUB71, and an additional $220,000 from an EU AI grant. The EU funding is specifically aimed at bridging the innovative gap between diagnostics and artificial intelligence, highlighting GlycanAge’s commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology in its approach.

“We are thrilled to have the support of LAUNCHub Ventures and Kadmos Capital, who share our vision for a healthier future. This funding round marks a significant milestone for GlycanAge, and we are excited to continue our journey towards transforming healthcare and empowering individuals to take control of their well-being.”

Nikolina Lauc, CEO of GlycanAge

For more information about GlycanAge and its groundbreaking work, please visit www.glycanage.com.

---

About GlycanAge:

GlycanAge is a leading biotech company specializing in glycobiology and the science of biological aging. With its innovative biological age test, GlycanAge is pioneering personalized preventative healthcare, enabling individuals to make informed decisions about their health and lifestyle.

About LAUNCHub Ventures

LAUNCHub Ventures is a leading early-stage venture capital fund focused on technology startups in Central and South Eastern Europe (SEE & CEE), and diaspora founders based in global technological hubs. LAUNCHub’s current fund totals €74m. The firm has been investing in scalable businesses with traction, supporting ambitious teams in reaching series A and beyond. 75% of the fund’s portfolio companies raise follow-on funding by reputable VCs from its large co-investors network.

About Kadmos Capital

Kadmos Capital is a London-based Venture Capital firm focused on early stage investments in deep tech and impactful technologies. The fund focuses on three main sectors; TechBio, AI & Data and Sustainability. “With the pace of change now faster than ever, it’s vital to back high-impact technologies that will deliver solutions to tomorrow’s biggest problems. GlycanAge’s vision lies at the crossroad between preventative healthcare, diagnostics and longevity. We are delighted to back Nikolina Lauc and Dr.Gordan Lauc in their mission and are confident they will leave a mark on the future of healthcare” –  John Gebeily – Partner, Kadmos Capital