In a lab at the Netherlands’ UMC Utrecht, researcher Madelon Maurice was chasing a fundamental question: could the cell’s own machinery be harnessed to degrade, rather than merely inhibit, disease-causing proteins on the cell surface? What at first was basic science soon revealed itself as a radical new path in drug discovery.
Backed by Oncode Oncology Bridge Fund and guided by infrastructure and translational support from Oncode Institute and UMC Utrecht, this idea has now evolved into Laigo Bio: a biotech start-up with a platform called SureTAC™ that gives hope for treating cancers and possibly neurological diseases that until recently were considered undruggable.
Today that vision moves firmly toward reality as UMC Utrecht and Oncode Institute spin-out Laigo Bio secures a €11.5 million investment round led by Kurma Partners to advance SureTAC™, its proprietary targeted protein-degradation platform.
The journey from lab to biotech is neither trivial nor guaranteed. But Oncode Institutes model combining scientific excellence, collaboration, and valorization shows how investments in high-risk research and early stage development can yield tangible outcomes. Oncode Oncology Bridge Fund, which provides from an early de-risking perspective, pre-seed financing to promising spin-offs. Every euro invested by the fund unlocks an average of fourteen euros in external capital. To date, Oncode Institute has launched more than a dozen spin-offs; these ventures have attracted private capital, licensed technology, created jobs, and moved promising therapies closer to patients.
For Laigo Bio, the new investments that was officially announced on 4 December mark a new chapter. With expanded funding, the company will advance SureTAC candidates through preclinical development, ramp up their R&D team, and aim for a robust Series A round with the express ambition to begin clinical testing. This is more than “proof-of-concept”: it’s about building a sustainable biotech enterprise that can deliver real therapies.
In a broader context: Laigo Bio is a vivid illustration of how the Netherlands through a strong public–private ecosystem can compete globally in biotech. By translating fundamental science into commercial ventures, institutions like Oncode Institute are not only advancing science and health, but also strengthening the economy and building high-value jobs.
Whether SureTAC™ eventually leads to market-ready cancer therapies remains to be seen. But what is clear: the path that started with a research question is now travelling at full speed toward potential real-world impact.
Bertholt Leeftink, Managing Director
“This renewed capital commitment reflects investors’ strong confidence not only in Laigo Bio’s technology, but also in the scientific foundation and early support provided by UMC Utrecht, Oncode Institute and its Oncology Bridge Fund. Together, we are demonstrating how Dutch cancer research can grow into globally competitive biotech, delivering new therapeutic possibilities for patients while contributing to the strength of the Dutch and European life sciences ecosystem.”
Madelon Maurice, Oncode Investigator, Scientific Founder Laigo Bio
'We are thrilled that the new investment lets us take SureTAC™ from the lab toward real drug development. What started as curiosity-driven research at UMC Utrecht and Oncode Institute has now matured into a platform with the potential to tackle disease targets long deemed unreachable. With the trust and backing of Oncode Institute, we are one step closer to bringing real solutions to patients facing challenging cancers and neurological disorders.'