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<ul>
<li>Financing of EUR 35 million led by ATHOS KG, with participation from MIG, Meneldor and Oost NL</li>
<li>Proceeds will support a European, multicenter Phase 3b trial with subsequent application for marketing authorization in Europe</li>
<li>Ronopterin is a first-in-class inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), targeting key drivers of secondary brain injury</li>
</ul>
TIBEAY Biosciences B.V., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of innovative therapies for acute neurological conditions, today announced the successful closing of a EUR 35 million financing round. The round is led by ATHOS KG, with participation from MIG, Meneldor and Oost NL.
The proceeds will primarily be used to advance the clinical development of Ronopterin, the Company&rsquo;s lead substance, through a European, multicenter Phase 3b trial. The study is designed as a registrational trial and is intended to form the basis for a future marketing authorization application in Europe.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability worldwide. It is estimated that approximately 50 million new cases occur each year globally, with around 10% classified as severe TBI. In Europe alone, TBI accounts for approximately 1.5 million hospital admissions annually. For patients and their families, TBI often results in lifelong impairment, significantly affecting quality of life and independence. Despite this substantial medical and societal burden, there are currently no approved pharmacological therapies that directly target secondary injury mechanisms in patients with severe TBI.
While the primary injury occurs at the time of trauma, a significant proportion of the resulting neurological damage is driven by secondary processes, including formation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.
Ronopterin is a small molecule inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), an enzyme that is upregulated following TBI and contributes to the formation of neurotoxic oxygen and nitrogen radicals. By selectively inhibiting iNOS, Ronopterin reduces key drivers of secondary brain injury and thereby improves neurological outcomes and patients&rsquo; quality of life.
The planned Phase 3b trial builds on previous clinical experience and will enroll patients with acute severe TBI across multiple European countries. The study design has been optimized based on previous insights, including an earlier start of treatment and a more targeted patient population.
In addition to the clinical development, the financing will support manufacturing of clinical supply, supply chain readiness as well as regulatory and operational preparations for a potential marketing authorization in Europe. Selected preparatory activities to support future market access will also be undertaken.
Dr. Martha Smets, Investment Manager at ATHOS commented: &ldquo;What convinced us about TIBEAY is the rare combination of a clearly defined unmet medical need, robust clinical data and a well-understood mechanism of action. Ronopterin is therefore significantly more de-risked than typical neuro assets at this stage of development, while at the same time opening up a distinct market opportunity that is highly attractive for specialized pharma partners.&rdquo;
Andreas Kastenbauer, Partner at MIG Capital stated: &ldquo;With TIBEAY, we are investing in a highly promising therapeutic approach. Ronopterin targets a biological pathway whose medical relevance was recognized with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. As investors, we aim to help address a significant unmet medical need.&rdquo;
Prof. Dr. John Stover, CMO at TIBEAY added: &ldquo;Despite advances in critical care, there is still no approved specific pharmacological therapy targeting secondary brain damage in severe traumatic brain injury. With Ronopterin we are at the verge of a medical breakthrough as Ronopterin has the potential to improve neurological outcomes and patients&rsquo; quality of life after severe traumatic brain injury.&rdquo;
Paul Lelieveld, Managing Partner at Meneldor said: &ldquo;We are very pleased to partner with ATHOS, MIG Capital and Oost NL in advancing a meaningful therapeutic approach for traumatic brain injury. We would like to thank the management team, and all involved for their strong commitment and execution to date.&rdquo;

More information

Funding supports a European, pivotal registrational trial targeting secondary brain damage in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

TIBEAY Biosciences raises EUR 35 million for a Phase 3b trial of Ronopterin in traumatic brain injury

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<h2 class="ctn-title">New pilot capacity strengthens Dutch infrastructure for scale-up and validation</h2>
</div>
<div class=" wysiwyg">
Contract: Food-grade precision-fermentation pilot line with 1,000 L and 10,000 L fermenters, including integrated upstream and primary recovery steps. Timing: Pre-pilot fermentation facility (10&ndash;30 liters) operational from February 2026; pilot installation in 2026 with operations starting in 2027. Impact: Shared open-access infrastructure reduces scale-up risk and accelerates investment, regulatory and commercial decision-making for New Food innovators.
Ede (The Netherlands), January 13th, 2026 &ndash; Biotechnology Fermentation Factory (BFF) has awarded GEA the contract to supply, install and commission a new food-grade (precision)fermentation upscaling line at its facility on the NIZO Food Innovation Campus in Ede. The line &mdash; featuring 1,000-liter and 10,000-liter fermenters with integrated upstream and primary recovery steps &mdash; is a key element in expanding the Netherlands&rsquo; mid-scale fermentation infrastructure and strengthening Europe&rsquo;s capacity to bring biotechnology-enabled food innovations to market.
The new installation forms part of BFF&rsquo;s open-access scale-up environment, designed to help companies validate fermentation processes under realistic, food-grade conditions and generate decision-grade datasets to support investors, regulatory and commercial decision-making. The facility will operate alongside BFF&rsquo;s existing 10&ndash;30 liter pre-pilot systems and its 800 liter and 4,000 liter biomass-fermentation lines. Following primary recovery, pilot material can be transferred directly into the existing DSP pilot plant at NIZO, enabling end-to-end validation workflows within the same campus.
<img src="https://media.oostnl.nl/3_D_model_BFF_from_above_3d2533d146.png" alt="3D model BFF from above.png"> Closing a critical gap in the European scale-up landscape
Many precision- and biomass-fermentation projects stall between laboratory proof-of-concept and the first commercial investment decision. By providing shared access to food-grade pilot capacity, BFF supports innovators in overcoming this &ldquo;missing middle&rdquo;, reducing risk and accelerating movement from TRL 4&ndash;7. BFF&rsquo;s open-access model serves both food and ingredient biotech companies and technology providers developing new tools for fermentation performance, such as sensing, process-control and metabolic-monitoring solutions. Validating these technologies in real, food-grade environments is essential for adoption by industry.
&nbsp;
<blockquote>
&ldquo;Our aim is straightforward: to give the industry dependable, open-access capacity to validate fermentation processes under food-grade, scalable conditions. With GEA supplying this new precision-fermentation line, companies will gain the technical reliability and speed they need to move confidently from lab development toward industrial readiness.&rdquo;
-Marcel Oogink, Managing Director, Biotechnology Fermentation Factory
&nbsp;
</blockquote>
<img src="https://media.oostnl.nl/Overview_Food_Innovation_Campus_8c993dac5b.png" alt="Overview Food Innovation Campus.png"> 
<blockquote>
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Food-grade pilot capacity is a critical link many innovators have been missing. By delivering BFF&rsquo;s new line, we help teams validate their processes faster and more reliably &mdash; and we strengthen GEA&rsquo;s role where biotechnology meets scalable manufacturing. This pilot environment enables application-ready material and decision-grade datasets that support the transition toward commercial production.&rdquo;
&ndash; Frederieke Reiners, Vice President New Food, GEA
&nbsp;
</blockquote>
<h4>Financing and strategic context</h4>
The expansion of BFF&rsquo;s pilot capability is supported by the Dutch National Growth Fund program Cellulaire Agricultuur Nederland (CAN), with regional co-funding from Oost NL and in-kind contributions from NIZO. Together, these investments strengthen the Dutch position as a leading hub for fermentation-based food innovation and enable companies to advance more quickly toward market entry.
&nbsp;
<h3>Note for editors</h3>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Site: Biotechnology Fermentation Factory (BFF), NIZO Food Innovation campus, Ede (NL)</li>
<li>GEA scope: Supply, installation and commissioning of a precision-fermentation pilot upscaling line; integrated upstream to downstream, incl. automation.</li>
<li>Capacity: Open-access, food-grade pilot capacity for process validation and scale-up with 1,000l and 10,000l precision fermentation system</li>
<li>Purpose: Open-access, food-grade pilot capacity for process validation and scale-up (TRL 4&ndash;7)</li>
<li>Integration: Primary recovery on the BFF/GEA line; secondary DSP via the existing NIZO DSP pilot plant</li>
<li>Primary audience / use case:</li>
<li>Food &amp; ingredient biotech companies and technology providers developing tools for advanced fermentation</li>
<li>Start of operations: beginning of 2027</li>
</ul>
</div>

BFF awards GEA a contract to build new food-grade (precision) fermentation upscaling line

AstraZeneca today announced a $70 million investment to expand its manufacturing facility in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Oost NL and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) supported the company in its expansion process, in close collaboration with the Province of Gelderland and the City of Nijmegen. The groundbreaking ceremony was performed by Hubert Bruls, Mayor of Nijmegen, together with Paul Bedford, Site Lead of AstraZeneca Nijmegen, and Per Alfredsson, Senior Vice President Global Biologics Operations at AstraZeneca, officially marking the start of construction.
<h2 class="chakra-text css-1ji0g3j">Central role in filling, inspection and distribution</h2>
AstraZeneca&rsquo;s Nijmegen facility plays a central role in the filling, inspection and distribution of biologic medicines, particularly for clinical research &mdash; from potential cancer treatments to vaccines for premature babies. The expansion will add a second fill line to the site. The number of employees will increase from 100 to approximately 130.
<h2 class="chakra-text css-1ji0g3j">Investment in sustainable and accessible healthcare</h2>
This investment in the Netherlands underscores AstraZeneca&rsquo;s conviction that sustainable public-private collaboration and forward-looking investment are essential to keep the Netherlands at the forefront of Life Sciences &amp; Health (LSH), to stimulate economic growth, and to deliver life-changing medicines to patients.
Paul Bedford, Site Lead at AstraZeneca Nijmegen, said:&nbsp;"Our investment in Nijmegen not only strengthens AstraZeneca&rsquo;s scientific and manufacturing capabilities but also sends a clear signal about the value of Life Sciences &amp; Health in the Netherlands. By expanding our production footprint, we reaffirm our commitment to Dutch patients, healthcare professionals, and society at large. The support from Oost NL and NFIA has made the expansion process smoother &mdash; it is valuable to work with a non-commercial partner that actively supports our presence in the region."
Oost NL and the NFIA supported AstraZeneca in exploring financial instruments, identifying solutions for grid congestion, and securing the necessary permits. Susan van Boxtel, Team Manager Foreign Direct Investment at Oost NL, said:&nbsp;"We value AstraZeneca&rsquo;s active role in the regional Pharma Delta collaboration, where knowledge institutions and business clusters work together on a talent programme and shared facilities. The expansion of a global player like AstraZeneca strengthens the pharmaceutical cluster in the Nijmegen-Oss region, and we are proud of that."
Hilde van der Meer, Commissioner of the NFIA, welcomed AstraZeneca&rsquo;s Nijmegen expansion in the Netherlands:&nbsp;"AstraZeneca&rsquo;s confidence in the Dutch Life Sciences &amp; Health cluster is time and again demonstrated through the investments they make, not only in their facilities but also in their people and in collaboration with researchers, local businesses and the community. With this expansion in Nijmegen, AstraZeneca once again strengthens its contribution to the LSH ecosystem."
<h2 class="chakra-text css-1ji0g3j">Sustainable location</h2>
AstraZeneca&rsquo;s Nijmegen site is already known for its sustainability ambitions, and this expansion follows AstraZeneca&rsquo;s global&nbsp;Ambition Zero Carbon&nbsp;programme: the goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. Since 2015, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been reduced by 77.5% (2024). In addition, despite growth, 20% less energy has been used across our sites (2024).
In the Netherlands, the company is also making significant progress. In 2021, Nijmegen was the first AstraZeneca site to achieve a 99% reduction in GHG emissions. Moreover, in 2022 AstraZeneca Netherlands became the first site worldwide with a 100% electric vehicle fleet.

Nijmegen mayor Hubert Bruls breaks ground on construction



AstraZeneca expands in Nijmegen: $70 million investment in sustainable medicine manufacturing

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Empowering and connecting future makers

Empowering and connecting future makers

How can we help you move forward?

I'm looking for an investor for my business

I need funding for an innovative project

I want to grow internationally

I'm looking for an investor for my business

I need funding for an innovative project

I want to grow internationally

I'm looking to establish or expand my business in East Netherlands

I want to connect with relevant partners

I want to make a business park future-proof

I'm looking to establish or expand my business in East Netherlands

I want to connect with relevant partners

I want to make a business park future-proof

The future of the horticulture sector

From Innovation to Impact

Food

Health

Energy

Food

Health

Energy

Tech

Circular Economy

Tech

Circular Economy

Latest news

TIBEAY Biosciences raises EUR 35 million for a Phase 3b trial of Ronopterin in traumatic brain injury

BFF awards GEA a contract to build new food-grade (precision) fermentation upscaling line

AstraZeneca expands in Nijmegen: $70 million investment in sustainable medicine manufacturing

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