MiMARK Diagnostics, a healthcare company based in Spain and a member of our New Biotech Platforms market group, is transforming the landscape of gynecological diagnostics. At the heart of MiMARK’s innovation is the use of gynecological fluids – uterine and cervical fluid – as a novel liquid biopsy source.

We had the opportunity to speak to MiMARK’s CEO and co-founder Marina Rigau during the Ambition Forum, which took place on 3 September in Riga, Latvia. To learn more about the company, its path to commercialisation, and the challenges encountered on the way, read our interview, listen to it here, or watch the video below.

Breakthrough approach to gynecological diagnostics

Each year, around 35 million postmenopausal women worldwide experience abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) – the primary warning sign for endometrial cancer, which affects approximately 5% of these women. The current diagnostic method relies on endometrial biopsy and pathological examination, but this approach fails to detect up to 31% of cases due to low cellularity, often requiring a more invasive hysteroscopy procedure.

MiMARK is addressing this challenge by developing innovative in vitro diagnostic (IVD) solutions that harness gynecological fluids as a new liquid biopsy source. With a strong focus on women’s health, the company aims to improve endometrial cancer diagnosis and build a comprehensive portfolio of gynecological diagnostic tools that transform patient care. 

The company’s first product is an IVD to aid endometrial cancer diagnosis, now preparing for clinical regulatory validation. By using uterine fluid rather than cellular material for endometrial cancer diagnosis, the test can provide a highly accurate diagnosis.

Academic roots and a mission to translate research into impact

Founded in early 2021, the company is spearheaded by CEO and co-founder Marina Rigau, alongside co-founders Eva Colás (CSO) and Antonio Gil (CMO). The founding team, all with strong academic backgrounds, spun out of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona (where Antonio is the Head of the Gynecology Service) to translate their research into tangible diagnostic solutions for women’s health.

In addition to the founding team, MiMARK has grown to a team of 11 passionate professionals working full-time to bring innovative diagnostic products to market. 

Like many healthcare startups, MiMARK has faced funding challenges. Yet the company has managed to secure seed funding through private investors and substantial backing from public institutions such as EIT Health and the EIC. 

Funding, however, is not the only challenge, as Marina explains:

“Standardising a new liquid biopsy that is not blood but gynecological fluid has been one of our greatest challenges. Making this sample type manageable in the clinical laboratory has required extensive work, but we are proud to have successfully achieved it.”

A major milestone for the company was the completion of a national investigational study across 28 sites in Spain, enrolling nearly 2,000 patients. This achievement has generated robust clinical data that will support the upcoming regulatory validation of their endometrial cancer diagnostic test.

Strategic growth supported by the EIC Scaling Club

Looking ahead, MiMARK is focused on expanding its diagnostic portfolio. While endometrial cancer remains the initial target, the company is also developing applications of its gynecological liquid biopsy platform for endometriosis and other diseases.

In late 2024, MiMARK joined the EIC Scaling Club, gaining access to mentorship and strategic support. Marina emphasises that this guidance has been invaluable in helping the team “think bigger” about scaling. Marina and her team believe that MiMARK’s technology can serve as the basis for a portfolio of diagnostic tools that improve women’s health worldwide.

With a strong scientific foundation, clinical validation in progress, and the support of European innovation networks, MiMARK is positioning itself as a frontrunner in gynecological diagnostics – driving much-needed progress in an area of healthcare that has long been underserved.

About the EIC Scaling Club

The EIC Scaling Club is a curated community where 120+ European deep tech scale-ups with the potential to build world-class businesses and solve major global challenges come together with investors, corporate innovators and other industry stakeholders to spur growth.

The top 120+ European deep tech companies will be carefully selected from a pool of high-growth scale-ups that have benefitted from EIC financial schemes, other European and national innovation programmes, and beyond.

The EIC Scaling Club is an EIC-funded initiative run in partnership by Tech Tour, Bpifrance (EuroQuity), Hello Tomorrow, Tech.eu (Webrazzi), EurA and IESE Business School.

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