H2020 backs ethical drug candidate evaluation
A life sciences company has received €50,000 in funding under Horizon 2020’s SME Instrument.
AvantiCell Science won the funding under phase one of the SME scheme, which supports a ‘concept and feasibility assessment’ lasting for six months.
AvantiCell uses ethically sourced human cells to evaluate how they react to a variety of materials. The firm focuses on assessing different “drug candidates” to tackle diseases such as diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. The Horizon 2020 funding will allow the firm to progress cell-based analysis and a project focusing on 3D or additive printing to assemble cell models.
In comments carried in Herald Scotland, the co-founder of AvantiCell, Jo Oliver, welcomed the money and said the firm would be centring its attention on “the area of neuronal disease – things like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s – developing systems that will help evaluate potential drugs”.
This funding scheme phase also sees the EU provide business coaching and the SME draw up a basic business proposal.
