We are excited to announce the official start of the EUREKA Eurostars project hepatoMX — a three-year collaboration between You2Yourself (Y2Y), a Dutch company specializing in small RNA-based early disease detection, and TAmiRNA GmbH, an Austrian SME with expertise in microRNA biomarker discovery and diagnostic test development (hepatomiR®). The project officially started on April 1, 2025, and aims to revolutionize the early detection of metabolic liver disease.

The hepatoMX project will leverage TAmiRNA’s clinical expertise in liver diagnostics and Y2Y’s unique Urimon cohort that captures the dynamics of disease development to deliver a validated diagnostic test utilizing a proprietary urinary microRNA biomarker panel to identify early-stage liver disease in a simple and non-invasive manner. This innovative approach will enable earlier treatment and monitoring, helping to prevent disease progression, reduce the risk of liver failure, and improve overall clinical outcomes.

To achieve this goal, the project will:

  • Develop and validate a novel urinary microRNA signature for early detection of liver damage,
  • Establish a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based detection system, and
  • Implement automated microRNA isolation technology for cost-effective scalability.

The validated hepatoMX assay will be ready for clinical performance evaluation and IVDR CE-IVD accreditation.

The project is facilitated by Catalyze, a Dutch company specializing in innovation funding and project management, which will coordinate the overall project execution.

The hepatoMX team met in Amsterdam on September 15–16, 2025, for the official kickoff meeting, hosted by You2Yourself. The event featured a social boat cruise through Amsterdam’s canals, followed by a full-day scientific workshop at the Amsterdam University Medical Center (AUMC).

During the workshop, scientific and technical updates were presented by Matthias Hackl, CEO and CSO of TAmiRNA, and Johan de Rooij, CSO of You2Yourself, alongside the project scientists.

This collaboration brings together complementary expertise from Austria and the Netherlands, to establish the next generation of cell-free RNA diagnostics and improve the health people with liver damage, a high-incidence problem in our society that often develops unnoticed.

 

Funding statement:

Eurostars is a Eureka programme and part of the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs. The partnership is co-funded by the European Union through Horizon Europe.