FABPulous BV announced the closure of its first financing round co-led by Thuja Capital, Health Innovation Fund, Limburg Ventures and The Limburg Development Company, LIOF. The existing shareholder MeDaVinci Development also participated in this round. Financial details of the investment will not be disclosed.

FABPulous is developing a disposable device that allows for rapid semi-quantitative diagnostic testing in blood or plasma. As a first application FABPulous will develop a rapid test to aid in the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, based on an early biomarker, heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP). This test will be able to demonstrate, within 2-3 minutes after drawing a drop of blood by means of a finger prick, whether or not H-FABP is elevated, which is indicative of an acute myocardial infarction. The new financing will enable FABPulous to develop the device and launch its first application as a rapid in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test for myocardial infarction.

The company is a spin-off from Maastricht University and was founded at the end of 2008 by BioMedbooster, with start-up capital provided by MeDaVinci Development. Prof. Dr. Jan Glatz, who has built a track record in the field of cardiovascular research and notably H-FABP, was involved from the start and will continue to serve as the Chief Scientific Officer of FABPulous.

Frans Groenewegen, CEO of FABPulous said: "We are extremely pleased with this strong syndicate of investors, which each bring their own unique network and know-how into the company.

Michel Briejer (investment director at Thuja Capital) will join the Supervisory Board of Directors of FABPulous as Chairman. The other investors will also appoint a Supervisory Board member: John Vossen (NV Industriebank LIOF), Marcel Kloosterman (Limburg Ventures) and Dick Sietses (Health Innovation Fund). Ger Biesbrouck (MeDaVinci Development) and Erik Wolters (BioMedbooster) will continue to serve on the Supervisory Board

[BIZ/LIFE-SCI: Maastricht, January 11] http://www.liof.nl/

Foto: NV Industriebank LIOF; Leon van den Heuvel, Sittard