Fox Biosystems secures 4 million euros in capital with the Limburgse Investeringsmaatschappij LRM, the Gemma Frisius Fund and several biotech investors. Their innovative sensor technology, based on optical fibers, allows a cost-effective, user friendly and fast way of analyzing samples in the life science industry and the research market. The additional capital will be used for hiring extra people, growing internationally and optimizing processes.  The Leuven start-up will move its headquarters to Bioville in Diepenbeek.
 
Fox Biosystems was founded in 2017 as a spin-off of the KU Leuven. The start-up aims to revolutionize the life science industry and research market using its real-time, label-free analysis technology. The FOx technology is based on innovative fiber-optic biosensor technology, which enables the users to generate high quality biomolecular data such as affinity data, kinetic data and concentration measurements. The innovative platform increases the efficiency of pharmaceutical drug research and development and allows flexible bioprocess monitoring.
 
Minimal sample preprocessing
‘The FOx biosensor technology has many advantages compared to existing biomolecular analysis instruments’, says Jeroen Lammertyn, co-founder and professor at KU Leuven. ‘The ease of use, speed, wide applicability, cost-effectiveness and the minimal time for sample preprocessing, even in complex media, are key assets of the technology.’ FOx Biosystems sells instruments, reagents and services to improve biomolecular interaction analysis in life science industry and research market.
 
The company now raises four million euros with LRM, the Gemma Frisius Fund and several biotech investors.  With this extra resources the early stage biotech company wants to expand their team and take the next steps. ‘The company is still young, but we strongly belief in its growth potential. With this financial injection FOx Biosystems can move on the next phase: process optimization, increase sales and expand internationally’, says Katleen Vandersmissen, Head of Health & Care at LRM.

https://kanaalz.knack.be/nieuws/fox-biosystems-haalt-4-miljoen-op-voor-lancering-analysetoestel/video-normal-1431417.html

Bioville
Filip Delport, co-founder and former doctor-engineer at KU Leuven in de group of prof. Lammertyn, was appointed by the shareholders as Chief Executive Officer. The headquarters of FOx Biosystems will move to Bioville, the bio-incubator in Diepenbeek, from where further development of the technology will happen in close collaboration with the KU Leuven and other partners.       

About LRM
LRM is an investment company that develops and stimulates economic growth in Limburg. We provide a solid foundation, allowing companies and projects, which create jobs in Limburg, to grow. Our financial means and economic expertise, together with Limburg’s key assets, create a unique breeding ground.  Goele Lemmens, responsible press office LRM, g.lemmens@lrm.be, 0474 21 30 87
 
About Gemma Frisius Fund KU Leuven
Gemma Frisius Fund is a seed capital fund, which was established in 1997 as a joint venture between KU Leuven, KBC Bank and BNP Paribas Group. The objective of the fund is to stimulate the creation and growth of KU Leuven spin-off companies by providing them with seed capital in the very early phases of their development. The Gemma Frisius Fund combines the research and technology transfer expertise of the university with the financial and investment expertise of the two banks.
More information: http://lrd.kuleuven.be/en/spinoff/gemma-frisius-fund.

About KU Leuven
KU Leuven is one of the oldest and most renowned universities in Europe. With a research budget of over 466 million euro and an academic staff of more than 7,000 researchers, KU Leuven pursues high-quality, innovative, interdisciplinary research. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, KU Leuven was ranked as Europe’s most innovative university, based on its research output and influential inventions.
More information: www.kuleuven.be/lrd
​

Leuven, July 19, 2018 – FOx Biosystems, an innovative biosensor company, today announced its ambition to advance todays bioprocess monitoring methodologies after successfully completing a preliminary evaluation that compared different biosensor devices to monitor bioprocess related proteins.
 
FOx Biosystems conducted the study with the help of GSK’s biopharmaceutical team based in Stevenage, UK, who compared the FOx prototype technology with two existing biosensor technologies. Using its new White FOx 1.0 system, which uses Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technology, Fox Biosystems showed that when sensitivity, reproducibility, cost per analysis and the ability to detect denaturated proteins were compared, the results showed that White FOx 1.0, is a high-performing, easy to use and cost-effective analytical instrument for biomolecular interaction analyses.

“The speed, sensitivity, cost and robustness of the FOx systems are key benefits for bioprocessing monitoring,” says Filip Delport, CTO of FOx Biosystems. “The Fiber-Optic-based surface plasmon resonance biosensor system performed very well in a blinded comparison study. Currently, our team is discussing different implementation routes to support biomolecular analysis methodologies during bioprocess development and monitoring.”

FOx Biosystems launched the White FOx 1.0 last year and renewed its strategy and focus. FOx Biosystems has the ambition to become a world-leader in the field of biomolecular analysis tools, particularly in the bioprocess monitoring field. FOx’ sensor technology can be used from µg/mL down to pg/mL in a label-free or labelled mode enabling the quantification of specific proteins, small molecules, DNA and cells in microliter volume samples. The FOx technology combines throughput with flexibility and good sensitivity in crude matrices. As such, the White FOx 1.0 has several technical benefits which expand its utility as a biomolecular interaction analysis tool for bioprocess monitoring.

Filip Delport, CTO of FOx Biosystems adds: “We are looking forward to supporting companies with bioprocess monitoring technologies. We strongly believe that our products can add value to pharmaceutical companies both in their screening stage and the bioprocess development and monitoring stage”

More information is available at www.foxbiosystems.com

About FOx Biosystems
FOx Biosystems is a spin-off from the KU Leuven. The company offers superior analytical systems, consumables and services for the R&D instrumentation market and the bioprocessing market (development and production of bio-pharmaceuticals). FOx Biosystems was founded in 2016 after more than 10 years of high level research in the MeBioS Biosensor group of Professor Lammertyn, KULeuven. The FOx Biosystems instrumentation uses the fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (FO-SPR) to detect target molecules. The disposable sensor probe is coated with a gold layer and functionalized with bioreceptors. This sensor probe is then coupled to a cost-effective, reliable analytical benchtop instrument that enables real-time analysis of biomolecular interactions with a miniaturized optical unit. This instrument, priced at a fraction of competing technologies, was designed, developed and built to be easily operated by a non-specialized user. FOx’ sensor technology can be used in a label-free or labelled mode enabling the quantification of specific proteins, small molecules, DNA and cells in microliter volume samples. This allows scientists or process control analysis laboratories to perform biomolecular analysis in a faster, more robust and more versatile way then ever before. More information is available at www.foxbiosystems.com.

FOx Biosystems Contact
www.FOxBiosystems.com
info@foxbiosystems.com 

FLANDERS, BELGIUM — May 16, 2018 — FOx Biosystems, a biosensor company, and VIB, the life sciences research institute in Flanders (Belgium), announced today that VIB will become an important research institute to evaluate the White FOx 1.0 in its workflows as part of its vision for adopting breakthrough technologies.

The proprietary FOx technology in the White FOx 1.0 system turns the well-established Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) principle into a highly performant, easy to use and cost-effective analytical instrument for biomolecular interaction analyses. Its performance and versatility makes it an interesting system for VIB to speed up its research in the field of cancer and neurobiology.
​
VIB’s Technology Watch Initiative implements new, emerging, and disruptive technologies into its laboratories and research facilities. Active since 2008, the Technology Watch program evaluates strategic technology investment opportunities and provides the funding to secure prototype instruments and high-potential early-stage technologies.

The White FOx 1.0 will be placed in the lab of Prof. Anna Sablina, in the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology. Professor Sablina’s research is focused on understanding the cooperative interactions that conspire to promote tumorigenic transformation. To discover drivers of cancer development and progression, they create experimental models of cell transformation derived from primary human cells that mimic alterations found in human cancer samples. These models provide a useful platform to delineate pathways involved in cell transformation and to discover new targets for therapeutic intervention.

“The FOx technology will also be evaluated in the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research amongst others by the lab of prof. Frederic Rousseau and prof. Joost Schymkowitz, and the group of prof. Lucia Chávez Gutiérrez. We expect that the FOx system can have substantial benefits in other research fields across the life sciences also, such as Cancer Research, Structural biology and beyond in therapeutic development” adds Halina Novak, Ph.D., Technology and Innovation manager at VIB.

FOx’ sensor technology can be used, depending on the required sensitivity, in a label-free or labelled mode enabling the quantification of specific proteins, small molecules, DNA and cells in microliter volume samples. “Additional advantages of the FOx technology compared to competing technologies, are its throughput, speed of measuring and the ability to directly analyze crude cell lysates. As such, the White FOx 1.0 makes it possible for our scientists to detect different target molecules up to 10 times faster, at a low cost base and with a high flexibility”, adds Silvie Van den Hoecke, Ph.D., Life Science Technology Specialist at Tech Watch.

“The versatility and robustness of the FOx systems are key benefits in current high-level research,” says Filip Delport, CTO of FOx Biosystems. “The evaluation of our technology by VIB, notably one of Europe’s most innovative research institutes, will show the benefits in different cutting-edge research fields”

More information is available at www.foxbiosystems.com

About VIB
Basic research in life sciences is VIB’s raison d’être. VIB is pushing the boundaries of molecular mechanisms and how they rule living organisms, such as human beings, animals, plants and microorganisms, while also creating tangible results for the benefit of society. Based on a close partnership with five Flemish universities – Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Hasselt University – and supported by a solid funding program, VIB unites the expertise of 75 research groups in a single institute. VIB’s technology transfer activities translate research results into new economic ventures which, in time, lead to new products that can be used in medicine, agriculture and other applications. VIB also engages actively in the public debate on biotechnology by developing and disseminating a wide range of science-based information about all aspects of biotechnology. More information: www.vib.be.

VIB Tech Watch
Through the strategic application of VIB Tech Watch funds, VIB labs boast groundbreaking new technologies such as those enabling human genome sequencing, bioinformatics, next generation DNA sequencing, and a diverse range of visualization and proteomics technologies. Over the years, Tech Watch has gathered in-depth information about disruptive technologies that could aid VIB scientists, sharing over 100 of these innovations with the entire organization in the last ten years and assisting researchers in obtaining funds to use these technologies to boost research output. Recently, the Technology Innovation Lab was added to this initiative. “By organizing trainings, operating these technologies and troubleshooting in the labs next to the scientists, we aim to further increase the implementation of prototype instrument and new technologies at VIB. We are convinced that this unique set-up contributes to the competitive character of VIB.” states Silvie Van den Hoecke, Life Science Technology Specialist at Tech Watch.

About FOx Biosystems
FOx Biosystems is a spin-off from the KU Leuven. The company offers superior analytical systems, consumables and services for the R&D instrumentation market and the bioprocessing market (development and production of bio-pharmaceuticals). FOx Biosystems was founded in 2016 after more than 10 years of high level research in the MeBioS Biosensor group of Professor Lammertyn, KULeuven. The FOx Biosystems instrumentation uses the fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (FO-SPR) to detect target molecules. The disposable sensor probe is coated with a gold layer and functionalized with bioreceptors. This sensor probe is then coupled to a cost-effective, reliable analytical benchtop instrument that enables real-time analysis of biomolecular interactions with a miniaturized optical unit. This instrument, priced at a fraction of competing technologies, was designed, developed and built to be easily operated by a non-specialized user. FOx’ sensor technology can be used in a label-free or labelled mode enabling the quantification of specific proteins, small molecules, DNA and cells in microliter volume samples. This allows scientists or process control analysis laboratories to perform biomolecular analysis in a faster, more robust and more versatile way then ever before. More information is available at www.foxbiosystems.com.
​
FOx Biosystems Contact
FOx Biosystems
info@foxbiosystems.com 


VIB Contact
Halina Novak, VIB Technology and Innovation Manager
halina.novak@vib.be 
+32 9 244 66 11

FLANDERS, BELGIUM  — FOx Biosystems, a biosensor company, and KULAK/KULeuven, a Belgian university, today announced that KULAK could perform breakthrough research using the White FOx 1.0 in the field of bacteriophages selection.

The proprietary FOx technology in the White FOx 1.0 system turns the well-established Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) principle into a highly performant, easy to use and cost-effective analytical instrument for biomolecular interaction analyses. As opposed to most commercial SPR systems, the White FOx 1.0 is not using microfluidics to bring the sample to the sensor. The FOx Biosystems technology is using a fiber-based sensor that measures into a microtiter plate. This avoids potential clogging problems with larger molecules or compatibility issues. The use of classical microtiter plates and the ability to measure larger molecules makes it an interesting system for the KULAK to measure Bacteriophage interactions which is important in the field of viral particle interactions.

From left to right: Prof. Hans Deckmyn, Tiebe van Boven, Roxanne Cordier en Wim Noppe.

​About KULeuven
Situated in Belgium, in the heart of Western Europe, KU Leuven has been a centre of learning for nearly six centuries. Today, it is Belgium's largest university and, founded in 1425, one of the oldest and most renowned universities in Europe. As a leading European research university and co-founder of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), KU Leuven offers a wide variety of international master’s programmes, all supported by high-quality, innovative, interdisciplinary research. Since its founding, KU Leuven has been based in the city that shares its name. Leuven is a pleasant, safe and bustling student town, where centuries-rich history meets cutting-edge science. The university also offers degree programmes at campuses in 11 Belgian cities, including Brussels, Ghent and Antwerp. More information on www.kuleuven.be

About KULAK
Kulak has its own education and research profile which is complementary to the big urban campuses. Kulak is the only campus in Flanders where you can find all faculties or study programmes in one building complex. By focussing on the crucial first years of an academic training and by maintaining relatively small groups of students per field, they are able to provide their students with optimal support and tuition in the best of environments. However, in the first place, students are invited to take initiative and responsibility. They support each other intensely, which leads to significantly higher passing rates in the first year compared to the other Belgian universities. As a division of KU Leuven, the students are very much ‘part of Leuven’ because they share the same programs, professors, and high standards of quality in education, research and service to the community. The campus has some 120 academics in residence, complemented with some 100 Leuven academics who regularly teach in Kortrijk. Our Alma Mater is an internationally renowned institution, with excellent education and research potentials and with strong networks, both locally and internationally.
​
About FOx Biosystems
FOx Biosystems is a spin-off from the KU Leuven. The company offers superior analytical systems, consumables and services for the R&D instrumentation market and the bioprocessing market (development and production of bio-pharmaceuticals). FOx Biosystems was founded in 2016 after more than 10 years of high level research in the MeBioS Biosensor group of Professor Lammertyn, KU Leuven. The FOx Biosystems instrumentation uses the fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (FO-SPR) to detect target molecules. The disposable sensor probe is coated with a gold layer and functionalized with bioreceptors. This sensor probe is then coupled to a cost-effective, reliable analytical benchtop instrument that enables real-time analysis of biomolecular interactions with a miniaturized optical unit. This instrument, priced at a fraction of competing technologies, was designed, developed and built to be easily operated by a non-specialized user. FOx’ sensor technology can be used in a label-free or labelled mode enabling the quantification of specific proteins, small molecules, DNA and cells in microliter volume samples. This allows scientists or process control analysis laboratories to perform biomolecular analysis in a faster, more robust and more versatile way then ever before. More information is available at www.foxbiosystems.com.

FOx Biosystems Contact
FOx Biosystems
info@foxbiosystems.com 

​KULAK Contact
Dr. Wim Noppe
IRF Life Sciences, KU Leuven Campus KULAK Kortrijk
Etienne Sabbelaan 53 - box 7711
8500 Kortrijk
Email: Wim.noppe@kuleuven.be

Vandaag brengt Task Force Health Care, een Nederlandse missie onder leiding van de vice-minister voor buitenlandse handel, een economisch werkbezoek aan Leuven. Afspraak bij Imec. De Nederlanders willen de krachten op gebied van gezondheid en innovatie bundelen. De Memorandum of understanding tussen FOx Biosystems en Unitron is alvast ondertekend. De Nederlanders gaan met de Leuvense technologie aan de slag. Ze zullen de White Fox verder ontwikkelen samen met Comate (Leuven) en produceren. Het toestel is niet alleen eenvoudiger dan de klassieke laboinstrumenten waarmee de farmaceutische industrie nu werkt. Het is ook goedkoper. Bovendien werkt de technologie van FOx Biosystems sneller en nauwkeuriger.
 
Labo zonder laboranten
FOx Biosystems werd opgericht in  2016, vanuit de onderzoeksgroep van professor Jeroen Lammertyn aan de KU Leuven. Het bedrijf ontwikkelt hoogtechnologische biosensoren. Filip Delport, CTO van FOx Biosystems: “Onze technologie werkt als een compact labo zonder laboranten. Onze apparatuur is zo gevoelig dat je stalen nog nauwelijks moet prepareren om ze te analyseren. Een ander voordeel is dat je maar één platform nodig hebt om verschillende analyses uit te voeren. Het maakt een aantal toestellen in een klassiek labo overbodig.”
Maar hoe werkt de technologie van FOx Biosystems? Heel simpel: met wegwerpsensoren. Het is een lampje met een spectrometer, een optische vezel met een heel klein beetje goud én een bioreceptor. Je doopt de vezel in het staal. Bioreceptoren vangen de stof die je zoekt. Je stuurt licht doorheen de optische vezel en leest het licht dat wordt weerkaatst helemaal uit. Op die manier analyseer je het staal. Het kan bloed zijn, urine of bioreactorvloeistof, zolang het maar biologisch opgelost materiaal is.

Nieuwe medicijnen
Filip Delport: “80 tot 90 procent van de nieuwe medicijnen die worden ontwikkeld zijn gebaseerd op de werking van antilichamen. Antilichamen zijn de antistoffen die mensen en dieren aanmaken in een reactie op een ziekte of een infectie. Om antistoffen te gebruiken in geneesmiddelen heb je bioreactoren nodig met cellen die deze antilichamen produceren. Het zijn biologische processen die moeilijk zijn om te controleren. De technologie van FOx Biosystems biedt hiervoor een efficiënte oplossing aan. Hoeveel antilichamen zijn er  aanwezig? Werken de antilichamen zoals moet? En zijn er geen besmettingen met ander biologisch materiaal? Het zijn belangrijke, kwalitatieve parameters die de White Fox binnen de paar minuten meet en analyseert, zonder op de resultaten te moeten wachten van een groot labo.”
 
4 miljoen euro
De technologie van FOx Biosystems heeft veel potentieel. De Nederlanders van Unitron springen alvast mee op de trein. Zij gaan de White Fox verder ontwikkelen en produceren. De eerste toestellen zijn al verkocht. Maar het zal niet bij pionierswerk blijven. De technologie werkt. De tijd van prototypes is voorbij. Daarom wil FOx Biosystems een tweede kapitaalverhoging doorvoeren. Filip Delport maakt een ronde langsheen belangrijke investeerders. Hij hoopt 4 miljoen euro op te halen om meer onderzoek te doen, extra verkoopkanalen op te zetten en een doorstart van productie te financieren. Alleen zo kan de farmaceutische industrie worden overtuigd van de voordelen van de nieuwe technologie van FOx Biosystems.

FOx Diagnostics is renamed to FOx Biosystems, which reflects our ambition to serve our clients with great biomolecular analysis tools in the life science instrumentation and bioprocessing market.

To accommodate the growth of FOx Diagnostics the companies' board was complemented with the expertise and network of Leuven Research and development (LRD). At the same time a capital increase allowed to speed up development of the instruments and consumables. Efforts in sales, support and business development were also started with the assistance of Filip Frederix.

FOx Diagnostics is growing and looking forward to provide you with a complete and performant bio analysis solution!

A new technology, a new product a new company... and of course a new website!
Foxdagnostics. com is a fact! The place where you will find all information about us.
In the coming  months, we will improve this site by adding more information and interesting content.
For now, you will already find what we stand for and who we are. And most importantly you will find all possible ways to get in touch with us. So don't hesitate to push that contact button and ask us a question. We will be more than happy to talk to you.