Diabetes affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, but the tools used to develop new treatments often fail to mimic the human body. StemX Bio, a Leiden-grown biotech start-up, is tackling this mismatch head-on. Built on pioneering research from Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), the company is creating human 3D pancreatic microtissues that could change how the world discovers and tests diabetes drugs.

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Rethinking diabetes research from the ground up

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Despite major scientific advances, many diabetes drugs still face a difficult path from the lab to the clinic. Animal models often fall short of predicting real human responses, while traditional cell cultures oversimplify the pancreatic biology. This slows development and increases the risk that treatments will fail late in the process.

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StemX Bio offers an alternative. The team engineers miniature 3D pancreatic tissues that authentically mimic human hormone production and behaviour. As founder Jane Spirkoski explains, “These are mini organs in a dish, mini pancreases smaller than half a millimetre. They mimic how the human pancreas works, secreting the same hormones, so drug companies can see how their drugs would affect all of its functions.”

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By providing a more realistic, ethically responsible model, StemX Bio enables researchers to test therapies earlier, faster, and with greater confidence.

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Building better models for a complex disease

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Pancreatic biology is complex, and until recently, it was extremely difficult to recreate in a dish. StemX Bio bridges this gap with technology that captures both the architecture and function of human tissue. This enables more predictive research conditions, offering drug developers earlier insight into whether a therapy is likely to succeed.

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The company recently accelerated its development through an investment from UNIIQ and LEH — support that extended far beyond funding. As Jane notes, “The funding helped us expand our team and accelerate the final stages of our product validation. This catapulted our commercialisation stage and expanded our market outreach.”

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But capital was only part of the impact. “UNIIQ and LEH also provided an invaluable network and mentorship. As young entrepreneurs, having seasoned managers guide us through strategy and decision-making has been essential,” Jane adds.

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A company shaped by Leiden research

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StemX Bio’s foundation lies in breakthrough tissue-engineering research at LUMC, where Elena Naumovska, the CSO of StemX Bio developed methods for generating realistic human pancreatic structures in vitro. Together with Spirkoski, the CEO of StemX Bio, they spun this academic knowledge into an applied technology platform. The company exemplifies Leiden’s strength in turning fundamental discoveries into practical innovation.

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The team maintains close links with LUMC researchers and is part of the wider Leiden Bio Science Park community, where collaboration between start-ups, clinicians, and established companies accelerates advances in life sciences. StemX Bio is one of the latest examples of Leiden’s ecosystem supporting ideas that move seamlessly from the lab bench to societal impact.

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What’s next for StemX Bio?

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StemX Bio is now entering a critical growth phase. With the new pre-seed investment from UNIIQ, the company will scale up automation of its pancreatic microtissue platform and prepare for commercial roll-out. At the same time, it aims to expand beyond the pancreas by developing additional human-relevant 3D models, including thymus and thyroid tissue.

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These steps could mark an important leap not only for StemX Bio but for the broader biotech community. As the company moves from proof-of-concept to product readiness, it may help set a new standard for modelling complex human tissues in drug discovery. For Leiden, StemX Bio exemplifies how academic research can evolve into socially relevant, scalable innovation.

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Written by Lyna Meyrer