Leiden, October 25, 2024 – Genlumina, a biotech startup dedicated to transforming cancer treatment through light-activated drugs, was officially founded in Leiden on August 13, 2024. The founding team includes Donny de Bruin (Chief Scientific Officer and Operations Lead), Dirk Bouwmeester (Scientific Advisor, Product Owner, and Fundraising Lead), and Gerco Kanbier (Managing Director and Business Development Lead), combining their scientific, operational, and business expertise to develop new solutions in oncology within the next 10 years.

Genlumina’s innovation originated from an unexpected discovery during research on cellular optical properties. Our scientists observed that clusters of 20 silver atoms, wrapped in DNA, could kill cells when activated by light, unlocking therapeutic applications in cancer treatment. This breakthrough now serves as Genlumina’s core technology, killing cancer cells in combination with existing targeting- and imaging techniques.

The company benefited from the Venture Academy in 2023 and the UNLOCK_ incubator program in 2024, both at the BioScience Park in Leiden. “These programs taught us how to access funding, engage with experts, and navigate the drug development process efficiently,” say the founders.

As the patent holder, LURIS (the patent office of Leiden University) will hold a 15% equity stake in Genlumina, in alignment with National Deal Terms. Leiden University’s Faculty of Medicine has also received €200,000 to advance research on light-activated drugs, and Libertatis Ergo Holding B.V. (ELF) has contributed €35,000 to support Genlumina’s mission of bringing this innovative therapy to market.