EIB Supports Universal DX with €20 Million Loan to Advance Early Cancer Detection via Liquid Biopsy

EIB Supports Universal DX with €20 Million Loan to Advance Early Cancer Detection via Liquid Biopsy Photo credit: EIB

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €20 million loan agreement with Universal DX, a Spanish startup pioneering blood-based liquid biopsy solutions for early cancer detection. The investment will accelerate the development and commercialization of their colorectal, liver, and lung cancer tests, including a major clinical trial in the U.S. for FDA approval. This financing is part of the EIB’s commitment to advancing digital health and innovation in Europe through the InvestEU program.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 27-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB) has announced a €20 million loan to Universal DX, a trailblazing Spanish MedTech startup, to support the development and commercialization of its groundbreaking blood-based liquid biopsy technology for the early detection of cancer. This financing is part of the EIB’s broader strategy to back European startups creating innovative medical solutions, aligning with its goal of fostering digitalization and technological advancements in the healthcare sector.

The loan will help fuel the expansion of Universal DX’s flagship product, Signal-C®, designed for colorectal cancer screening. It will also support the growth of other products in the company’s pipeline, including Signal-Li and Signal-Lu for liver and lung cancer detection, respectively. Additionally, the funds will assist Universal DX in its international expansion, including a large clinical trial in the United States aimed at gaining FDA approval and reimbursement for its cutting-edge tests.

Based in Seville, Universal DX is pushing the boundaries of cancer detection through its proprietary platform, which combines Next-Generation Sequencing Assays with state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms. This innovative technology measures a variety of biomarkers, including methylation, fragmentation, and microbiome indicators, allowing the company to detect complex cancer signals with unparalleled precision.

EIB Director of Equity, Growth Capital, and Project Finance, Alessandro Izzo, commented on the financing: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Universal DX in the fight against cancer, particularly through early detection. This loan underscores the EIB’s ongoing support for innovative European startups in the MedTech sector, contributing to Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and reinforcing the European Union’s leadership in health technology innovation.”

The EIB’s loan is supported by InvestEU, an EU program designed to unlock over €372 billion in investments by 2027. InvestEU’s backing reflects the importance of this initiative to the EU’s broader policy goals, particularly in advancing digital and technological innovation. Universal DX’s work is in direct alignment with these goals, promising to improve survival rates for cancers like colorectal cancer by detecting them at earlier, more treatable stages.

Juan Martinez-Barea, Founder and Chairman of Universal DX, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for the EIB partnership: “Our mission is to create a future where cancer is curable. The support from the EIB will enable us to accelerate our efforts in revolutionizing early cancer detection, benefiting both the European and U.S. markets. We are excited to be part of the EU’s strategy to combat cancer, and this funding will help bring our life-saving technology to the forefront of medical science.”

This investment is not only advancing the fight against cancer but is also set to generate cutting-edge scientific knowledge and retain Europe’s scientific expertise. The project will significantly enhance Europe’s competitiveness in life sciences and bolster the innovative capacity of its medical technology sector.

EIB
The ElB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by the Member States. Built around eight core priorities, it finances investments that pursue EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund, signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Agreement, as pledged in the group’s Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects that contribute directly to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and a healthier environment.

In Spain, the EIB Group signed €12.3 billion of new financing for more than 100 high-impact projects in 2024, helping power the country’s green and digital transition and promote economic growth, competitiveness and better services for inhabitants.

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InvestEU

The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investments for the European Union’s policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The InvestEU programme brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.”

UniversalDX
Universal DX is a biotech company headquartered in Spain with its US office in Dallas (Texas). Its mission is to transform cancer into a curable disease by detecting it early. Utilizing multi-omics, computational biology, and AI tools, UDX is deciphering the unique cfDNA sequences that capture cancer’s earliest signals. UDX’s most advanced assay is for colorectal cancer screening with high accuracy for pre-cancer and cancers. The company’s technology can also be applied to other high-burden cancers. UDX has presented data on lung, pancreatic, liver, and esophageal cancers.

In November 2023, Universal DX announced a collaboration with Quest Diagnostics, a leading provider of diagnostic services, designating Quest’s oncology center of excellence in Lewisville, TX, as the sole trial testing site for its study supporting Signal-C® in the US. Assuming FDA approval for the test, Quest will provide clinical laboratory services in the U.S., with UDX delivering assay results via its cloud platform. If approved, both parties can commercialize the test.

Media Contact:

Maite Cordero
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SOURCE: European Investment Bank