NC Biomatrix and the EIC Accelerator: A Gel for Worn Spinal Discs

NC Biomatrix, an Eindhoven spin-off of Eindhoven University of Technology led by CEO Ileana Lindeman, develops VitaDisc, an injectable gel made from pig-derived, cell-free matrix to treat degenerated spinal discs. Its EIC application called it "the first non-invasive early restorative treatment for disc degeneration that has the power to revolutionise the orthopaedics market", able to restore disc height and support regeneration in an outpatient procedure, according to CORDIS.

The European Innovation Council granted €2,499,999 towards a €5.22 million project from June 2023 to September 2025. When the award was announced in February 2023, NC Biomatrix said the grant would let it "complete pre-clinical studies and run its first-in-human trial", and that the EIC had "pre-committed €6.7M equity to the company's next fundraise", according to its news page. CORDIS lists the project as closed, but has published no report on its results. The company's news page has not been updated since March 2023, and no first-in-human trial of VitaDisc appears in public records found for this article.

Where NC Biomatrix Stands Now

The company's website is online and describes "non-cellular, non-opioid biologic therapy" that "triggers the native regenerative mechanisms of cartilage tissues". It does not report trial progress, new funding or regulatory steps. No bankruptcy or liquidation of NC Biomatrix appears in the Dutch insolvency listings searched for this article. The €6.7 million pre-committed equity depended on a further fundraise that has not been announced.

The Technology: A Mechanical Fix for Disc Degeneration

More than 400 million people suffer from back pain and disc degeneration is its main cause, the application says, while current treatments only address symptoms. VitaDisc is based on matrix from notochordal cells, which the company's patents describe as a stimulant for disc regeneration. The application says its mode of action is "fully mechanical" and that the platform could extend to early knee arthritis.

What the EIC Project Promised, and What CORDIS Shows

The grant was meant to finish preclinical studies and start human testing. With no report on CORDIS, no trial registration found and no company updates, none of those steps can be verified. The EU paid for almost half of a project whose outcome is invisible to the public that funded it.

1. Preclinical studiesUnverifiedNo report.
2. First-in-human trialUnverifiedNone found.
3. Follow-on fundraiseUnverifiedNot announced.
4. Patent protectionDeliveredEU and US patents.

The Money

Before the EIC award, NC Biomatrix raised €1 million in 2022 in a round led by DSM Venturing, and earlier drew on Dutch grants and a Brabant Startup Fund loan, its news page says. Whether the EIC Fund's €6.7 million was ever invested, and the company's accounts, are not public.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

Chronic back pain is one of the leading causes of disability, NC Biomatrix notes, citing the WHO. A treatment that restores discs rather than masking pain would be significant. The EIC backed it with a grant and an equity promise, and has not published what the grant achieved.

The Verdict

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