Hooke Bio and the EIC Accelerator: Testing Drugs on Mini-Organs

Hooke Bio, a University of Limerick spin-out based in Shannon, County Clare, develops Mera, an automated system that grows, doses and images hundreds of three-dimensional micro-tissues, lab-grown clusters of human cells that behave like small pieces of liver, heart or tumour, to test drugs with less reliance on animals. It was selected in the EIC Accelerator's March 2023 cut-off with blended finance and received an EU grant of €2.50 million for a €4.16 million project that ran from October 2023 to January 2026, according to CORDIS. The Irish government reports that Hooke Bio "received €5.7 million (blended finance)" from the EIC in 2023, grant and equity combined, according to gov.ie.

The only public EIC report, to September 2024, says Hooke Bio "designed, assembled and tested the first prototype of Mera", with an incubation chamber, automated fluidics and built-in imaging, and filed three European patents, according to the CORDIS reporting page. In May 2025 the government said the company had "launched their service option with hardware launch of their Mera Ultra system scheduled for late 2025". No launch or system sale has been announced since, and no final EIC report is public.

Where Hooke Bio Stands Now

Hooke Bio's website in September 2026 focuses on immunotherapy studies run on Mera for clients, and invites pharmaceutical and biotech companies to partner. In 2026 it announced an expansion of its preclinical testing services to include GLP-ready laboratory testing, biocompatibility and cytotoxicity tests, and custom studies for medical device, food, agriculture and animal health companies, according to Hooke Bio. The government page puts staff at 16 in May 2025 and total funding at "up to €12 million". Irish company accounts are not freely accessible, so revenue is not public here.

The Technology: Many Mini-Tissues on One Plate

Most drugs that pass animal tests fail in human trials. Micro-tissues grown from human cells can predict toxicity better, but they are hard to grow and test in large numbers. Mera uses patented fluid control to feed, dose and stain many micro-tissues on a single plate, can link different tissue types through shared fluid flow, and images them automatically. Hooke Bio says one unit can run up to 800 micro-tissues, "eight times more than our nearest competitor".

What the EIC Award Promised, and What the Record Shows

The award aimed to take Mera to market as a screening system for pharmaceutical companies and contract research organisations. The prototype was built and tested, and Mera now supports service studies. A system for sale was scheduled for late 2025 but has not been announced. The only EIC report covers the first year.

1. Mera prototypeDeliveredBuilt and tested, 2024.
2. Patent protectionDeliveredThree EPO filings.
3. Commercial system launchNot announcedScheduled late 2025.
4. Pharma customersUnverifiedNone named.

The Money

The EU grant paid 60% of the project. On the government's figures, the €5.7 million implies an EIC equity component of about €3.2 million; its terms are not public. Before that, Hooke Bio raised €2.2 million in seed funding and won €1.9 million from Ireland's Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund for an earlier Mera project, which the government says met its objectives. The company's revenue and losses are not public.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

The EU wants to reduce animal testing, and regulators increasingly accept human-cell models. A European maker of screening systems for such models could matter. Hooke Bio has built the technology with years of public support, but it is earning through testing services rather than selling the systems the EIC funded.

The Verdict

Hooke Bio and the EIC have not been asked for comment for this article. It is based entirely on public records and published statements, linked throughout.