Solid IO, a pioneering medtech company specialising in patient-specific organ-on-chip technology, has successfully closed its first funding round of €800,000.
The startup spun out of the University of Helsinki, has developed a tumour-on-chip platform that replicates the patient's tumour microenvironment, generating high-accuracy, real-time data on how individual cancers respond to immunotherapies and combination treatments.
I spoke to CEO Noora Hujala to learn more.
By integrating bioengineering organ-on-chip technology, the platform helps clinicians select the most effective therapy from day one, improving patient outcomes while reducing unnecessary side effects.
According to Hujala, in the US, around $2 billion is spent annually on unnecessary immunotherapy treatments for stage 3 and 4 lung cancer alone.
"This happens because we currently lack reliable biomarkers to predict which patients will benefit from these treatments. As a result, immunotherapy is often administered on a trial-and-error basis."
Personalised medicine is a huge trend, and many companies are working on diagnostic tools and AI models to predict which patients will respond to specific treatments.
While these advancements are valuable, Solid IO believes that real patient-specific data is also necessary.
"Every cancer patient deserves a treatment plan based on their unique biology, adapting throughout the treatment journey," said Hujala.
"We are eliminating trial-and-error in cancer immunotherapy by bringing patient-specific tumour models into clinical use – this is the next evolution in precision oncology."
Solid IO was born out of a shared vision to transform cancer care through precision medicine. CSO, Dr. Haikala's research, together with Bassel Alsaed and a research team at the University of Helsinki, focused on tumour-immune interactions, revealing the urgent need for patient-specific models that could guide real-world treatment decisions.
"What started as a research project has evolved into a company with the potential to impact millions of lives," added Hujala.
"We built Solid IO to bridge the gap between lab discoveries and clinical application - ensuring that every cancer treatment decision is based on real, patient-specific data."
Beyond improving personalised patient care, Solid IO's platform is a game-changer for clinical trials and pharmaceutical R&D. The technology offers early patient stratification, biomarker validation, and treatment-response modelling, helping pharmaceutical companies reduce trial timelines, optimise patient selection, and accelerate the development of new immuno-oncology drugs.
"Organoids and organ-on-a-chip technology are transforming drug testing. Solid IO provides patient-specific insights in immuno-oncology, and we're very proud to back this team, whose expertise is truly unique," says Alexandra Gylfe, Partner at Nordic Science Investments.
Nordic Science Investments led the funding round, which included BSV Ventures, Helsinki University Funds and a private European investor.
According to Sandra Golbreich, Partner at BSV Ventures:
"Despite all the advances in medicine, we've relied on educated guesses in cancer treatment for too long. It's time to move on from uncertainty to real data and from data to life-saving precision.
Solid IO brings a new level of conscious, careful rigour to personalising treatment for patients, unlike any solution we've seen. This has a real-world impact on people's lives.
We're glad to partner with NSI to back such a cutting-edge team."
Solid IO is targeting the US market first because, according to Hujala, "our product will be classified as an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical device, so navigating the regulatory landscape is crucial.
In Europe, each country has its own regulations, making market entry more complex. Conversely, the US offers a larger, more accessible market under a single regulatory framework."
She further notes, "We've found that US clinicians are highly innovation-driven and more eager to collaborate with startups. They seem more open to adopting new technologies than their European counterparts, where there tends to be more scepticism around new medical innovations."
The company is currently finalising its preclinical studies, having already demonstrated proof of concept and published its first scientific paper in October 2024. The next step is securing a clinical validation partner, with plans to begin clinical trials next year.
The funds will primarily go toward planning and executing clinical trials, building Solid IO's regulatory strategy, and preparing for US market entry.
Lead image: Solid IO Female Founders. Noora Hujala and Heidi Haikala. Photo: Sofia Lund.
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