Gelomics Raises $2.2M to Eliminate Animal Testing in Pharmaceutical R&D

Biotech startup Gelomics, headquartered in Brisbane, has secured $2.2 million in a pre-seed funding round led by early-stage investor Jelix Ventures. Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) and Angelloop participated in the round. The investment aims to support Gelomics’ its pharmaceutical research and ongoing expansion efforts including the creation of more than 70 high-skilled jobs over the next five years.

The BioTech startup specializes in a 3D tissue culture system designed to grow miniature human tissue models, eliminating the necessity for animal testing in pharmaceutical research and development. This technology not only promotes ethical practices but also enhances the reliability, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency of medical research and preclinical studies.

Founded in 2018 as a spin-off from the Queensland University of Technology, Gelomics’ technology allows scientists to cultivate miniature human tissue models in laboratory settings, ranging from tiny beating hearts to tumor tissues.

Christoph Meinert, co-founder and CEO of Gelomics, highlighted that their 3D tissue culture system significantly improves the reliability of preclinical studies while reducing financial losses, time to market, and reliance on animal testing in pharmaceutical research and development.

Meinert also emphasized the stark reality that over 200 million animals are euthanized annually for drug development despite the high failure rate of drug candidates in human trials following successful animal testing.

These models are scalable to industrial standards and fully compatible with current automated systems. They are promising for drug development timelines and cut costs and ethical concerns associated with traditional methods.

Patrick Christiansen, QIC’s Private Equity Investment Director, spoke about the increasing recognition of traditional cell culture limitations and the costs involved in new drug development. He emphasized that Gelomics aims to lead the transformation of the pharmaceutical industry with its technology.

Christiansen highlighted Gelomics’ potential to overcome the limitations of conventional cell culture solutions and reduce the costs associated with drug development. He expressed confidence in Gelomics’ technical expertise and commercial acumen, noting that QIC Ventures is committed to supporting Gelomics’ vision to set a new standard in laboratories worldwide and contribute to job creation in Queensland through its Enterprise Acceleration Fund.

With backing from Jelix Ventures, QIC, and Angelloop, Gelomics aims to expand its team with top-tier talent in Brisbane. This will allow the company to accelerate product development and execute a well-planned market penetration strategy in the United States. 

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