PamGene and the EIC Accelerator: Predicting Immunotherapy

PamGene, which has traded as PamDx since 2026, is a diagnostics company in 's-Hertogenbosch whose IOpener test measures the activity of kinase enzymes in immune cells from a blood sample to predict whether a patient with advanced cancer will benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors, drugs that help only 10 to 50% of the patients who receive them. It was selected in the EIC Accelerator's March 2023 cut-off and announced €7.5 million of EIC support, according to PamGene. The grant part was €2.50 million for ROUTINE, a €3.67 million project that ran from August 2023 to July 2025, according to CORDIS. The goal was a standardised test for melanoma and lung cancer, clinical utility studies and preparation for market launch.

The final report says the IOpener sample collection kit was registered as an in vitro diagnostic device under the EU's IVDR rules, a melanoma clinical utility study in Germany was enrolling patients, and a Dutch melanoma study had ethics approval and was due to start recruiting in late 2025, according to the CORDIS reporting page. In July 2026 PamDx announced the publication in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer of a prospective study of 210 lung cancer patients at ten Dutch hospitals, which found the test predicted benefit better than the standard PD-L1 biomarker, according to PamDx.

Where PamDx Stands Now

In April 2026 PamDx closed a €13 million Series A led by Myosotis Investments, "with significant participation from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund", to run clinical utility studies and scale commercial activities, according to PamDx. The company now describes itself as "an innovative CRO in biomarker research and in-vitro diagnostic services", selling kinase activity profiling to drug developers alongside the IOpener test. Revenue figures are not public.

The Technology: Reading the Immune System's Enzymes

Checkpoint inhibitors are expensive and can cause serious side effects, yet most patients do not respond. The current main biomarker, PD-L1 in the tumour, needs a tissue sample and is least informative for patients with low PD-L1. IOpener uses PamGene's microarrays to profile kinase activity in white blood cells before treatment. In the lung study, patients predicted to benefit had significantly longer progression-free survival, especially when the test was combined with PD-L1 (hazard ratio 0.38).

What the EIC Award Promised, and What the Record Shows

The award promised a standardised, market-ready test and the clinical evidence for reimbursement. The kit was registered, studies started and a validation was published. The clinical utility studies, which insurers need before paying, were still running or about to start when the project ended, and a pan-cancer version remained in development.

1. IVDR-registered kitDeliveredSample collection kit.
2. Clinical utility studiesStartedGermany enrolling; NL approved.
3. Lung cancer validationDeliveredPublished, 210 patients.
4. Pan-cancer testIn developmentNo results yet.

The Money

The EU paid 68% of the project. The EIC award implied €5 million of equity on top of the grant, and the EIC Fund invested in the 2026 Series A; its exact share is not disclosed. The Series A was more than five times the grant.

What Cannot Be Checked

Why Europe Should Care

Checkpoint inhibitors are expensive, and many patients gain little from them. A blood test that identifies who will benefit could save money and spare patients toxic side effects. PamDx has published evidence and raised money to prove the test in practice; routine clinical use is the next step.

The Verdict

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