GlycanAge Secures Major Funding. Reshaping Healthcare with Biological Age Diagnostics.
December 19, 2025, 9:37 am
Location: Netherlands, North Holland, Amsterdam
Employees: 1-10
Founded date: 2018
GlycanAge, a UK biotech rooted in Croatian research, just secured €7.4 million. This significant investment propels glycan-based aging diagnostics into mainstream healthcare. Their "inflammaging" clock, a cutting-edge biomarker, precisely measures biological age. It identifies chronic inflammation, a key aging driver. The new funds will accelerate clinical development. GlycanAge plans aggressive global expansion. This includes deploying its technology in over ten hospitals across Europe and the Middle East within a year. Major US market expansion is also a strategic priority. The company aims to transition its innovative wellness tool into essential, routine hospital diagnostics. This will make advanced preventive glycan testing universally accessible for individuals over 30. Their two decades of foundational research culminate in this transformative clinical push.
GlycanAge closed a substantial funding round. It secured €7.4 million ($8.7 million). Fifth Quarter Ventures led this investment. Guinness Ventures, BrightCap Ventures, South Central Ventures, Impetus Capital, Vesna Deep Tech VC, and Lightfield Equity participated. Existing investors also joined. These included LaunchHub Ventures and Kadmos Capital. This capital infusion fuels rapid growth. It targets key strategic objectives for the glycan-based diagnostics pioneer.
GlycanAge focuses on glycans. These are complex sugar molecules. They are fundamental building blocks of life. Glycans coat cell surfaces. They attach to human proteins. They regulate immunity and cell signaling. GlycanAge interprets these signals. Specifically, it targets glycans linked to chronic inflammation. Inflammation drives the aging process. The company's work provides a critical window into biological health.
The company’s flagship biomarker is an "inflammaging" clock. This technology is based on IgG glycosylation. It provides a detailed biological age assessment. This differs from chronological age. It offers insights into aging influences. Lifestyle, inflammation, and environment all play roles. This advanced diagnostic tool personalizes healthcare interventions. It monitors patient responses over time. It guides more effective health strategies.
GlycanAge pursues a clear mission. It aims to make glycan testing a standard diagnostic. It seeks to integrate it into preventive medicine. The goal is broad accessibility. Everyone over 30 should access it. Healthcare providers would facilitate this. The company envisions routine glycan testing. It should be a standard part of health checks, not a futuristic concept.
The company now accelerates its transition. It moves from a "wellness" biomarker to essential hospital diagnostics. Its initial applications were often found in specialized preventive and longevity clinics. Now, the focus shifts dramatically. GlycanAge aims for regulated healthcare settings. It seeks to move beyond unregulated wellness. This represents a significant, strategic pivot for the biotech firm.
New capital advances key clinical applications. These include tools for stress and resilience. Cardiometabolic health is another focus area. Weight management solutions are being developed. Hormone balance tools are also underway. These will form indication-specific products. They target specific practitioner needs. The aim is tailored health management.
GlycanAge plans to develop its first lab-developed tests (LDTs). These LDTs target hospital and reference laboratory settings. It validates selected diagnostic indications. This ensures clinical relevance and accuracy. Research collaborations bolster this effort. Leading institutions like Northwestern University Hospital and Mayo Clinic are strategic partners. These collaborations strengthen the scientific foundation.
Hospital integration is paramount. St. Catherine Specialty Hospital in Zagreb leads this effort. It became the first pilot partner. This hospital integrated glycan-based biomarkers. Routine cardiometabolic risk screening now uses them. This marks a global first for glycan testing within a hospital setting. It demonstrates practical clinical utility and acceptance.
GlycanAge plans extensive hospital deployment. Over ten hospitals across Europe and the Middle East are targeted. This will occur within the next year. Two additional Croatian public hospitals follow in early 2026. Further deployments extend into Asia. The company is actively building its hospital network. This expansion signifies a global ambition for its diagnostics.
The US market is a strategic priority. Over 60% of GlycanAge's revenue already comes from the US. This occurs despite a limited permanent staff presence there. The new funding facilitates US commercial expansion. Assays operate via CLIA-certified laboratory pathways. These are recognized as laboratory-developed tests. This ensures regulatory compliance in the US.
Europe remains a scientific core. R&D, clinical development, and software teams are based in Croatia. The company is headquartered in the UK. Commercial, finance, and marketing functions are split between the UK and Bulgaria. A new laboratory in Saudi Arabia is planned. King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) will host it. This facility becomes a central hub. It serves hospital and laboratory networks in the Kingdom, facilitating method transfer.
GlycanAge navigates complex regulatory paths. In the US, LDTs operate through CLIA-certified pathways. In Europe, the company progresses through IVDR frameworks. It seeks clinical validation. This ensures compliance and acceptance. It builds trust in conservative hospital environments. Rigorous validation is key to mainstream adoption.
This journey started over two decades ago. Prof Gordan Lauc pioneered glycobiology research. His work established a global research hub. Glycans were once "dark matter" in biology. They were hugely important but technically hard to measure. Advances in technology and methodology changed this. Measurement became feasible.
A glycan-based aging clock emerged fifteen years ago. This discovery stemmed from extensive research. It eventually became GlycanAge's first commercial product. Aging was not classified as a disease in early applications. Thus, these remained largely outside regulated healthcare. The landscape now changes. Hospitals increasingly embrace prevention, opening new doors.
Prof Gordan Lauc is Co-founder and CSO. Nikolina Lauc is Co-founder and CEO. They drive this transformation. They translate over €40 million in grant-funded research. This research now yields tangible clinical tools. Their vision is routine glycan testing. It ensures everyone over 30 benefits from advanced preventive diagnostics.
GlycanAge employs over 30 people. The team grows rapidly. It pushes the boundaries of personalized medicine. The future involves expanded access. It means validated diagnostic applications. It promises a new era in preventive health. The company is investing in talent and infrastructure.
This shift profoundly impacts healthcare delivery. It moves towards proactive prevention. It provides deeper, more precise insights into individual health. Individuals gain personalized health roadmaps. Healthcare providers gain powerful tools for intervention. The potential for early disease detection and management is vast. GlycanAge is at the forefront of this revolution.
GlycanAge’s substantial funding marks a pivotal moment. It validates glycan-based diagnostics as a critical future component of healthcare. The company is poised for significant global impact. It will reshape how we understand and manage aging and chronic inflammation. Preventive healthcare takes a monumental leap forward, moving closer to universal access and routine implementation.
GlycanAge closed a substantial funding round. It secured €7.4 million ($8.7 million). Fifth Quarter Ventures led this investment. Guinness Ventures, BrightCap Ventures, South Central Ventures, Impetus Capital, Vesna Deep Tech VC, and Lightfield Equity participated. Existing investors also joined. These included LaunchHub Ventures and Kadmos Capital. This capital infusion fuels rapid growth. It targets key strategic objectives for the glycan-based diagnostics pioneer.
GlycanAge focuses on glycans. These are complex sugar molecules. They are fundamental building blocks of life. Glycans coat cell surfaces. They attach to human proteins. They regulate immunity and cell signaling. GlycanAge interprets these signals. Specifically, it targets glycans linked to chronic inflammation. Inflammation drives the aging process. The company's work provides a critical window into biological health.
The company’s flagship biomarker is an "inflammaging" clock. This technology is based on IgG glycosylation. It provides a detailed biological age assessment. This differs from chronological age. It offers insights into aging influences. Lifestyle, inflammation, and environment all play roles. This advanced diagnostic tool personalizes healthcare interventions. It monitors patient responses over time. It guides more effective health strategies.
GlycanAge pursues a clear mission. It aims to make glycan testing a standard diagnostic. It seeks to integrate it into preventive medicine. The goal is broad accessibility. Everyone over 30 should access it. Healthcare providers would facilitate this. The company envisions routine glycan testing. It should be a standard part of health checks, not a futuristic concept.
The company now accelerates its transition. It moves from a "wellness" biomarker to essential hospital diagnostics. Its initial applications were often found in specialized preventive and longevity clinics. Now, the focus shifts dramatically. GlycanAge aims for regulated healthcare settings. It seeks to move beyond unregulated wellness. This represents a significant, strategic pivot for the biotech firm.
New capital advances key clinical applications. These include tools for stress and resilience. Cardiometabolic health is another focus area. Weight management solutions are being developed. Hormone balance tools are also underway. These will form indication-specific products. They target specific practitioner needs. The aim is tailored health management.
GlycanAge plans to develop its first lab-developed tests (LDTs). These LDTs target hospital and reference laboratory settings. It validates selected diagnostic indications. This ensures clinical relevance and accuracy. Research collaborations bolster this effort. Leading institutions like Northwestern University Hospital and Mayo Clinic are strategic partners. These collaborations strengthen the scientific foundation.
Hospital integration is paramount. St. Catherine Specialty Hospital in Zagreb leads this effort. It became the first pilot partner. This hospital integrated glycan-based biomarkers. Routine cardiometabolic risk screening now uses them. This marks a global first for glycan testing within a hospital setting. It demonstrates practical clinical utility and acceptance.
GlycanAge plans extensive hospital deployment. Over ten hospitals across Europe and the Middle East are targeted. This will occur within the next year. Two additional Croatian public hospitals follow in early 2026. Further deployments extend into Asia. The company is actively building its hospital network. This expansion signifies a global ambition for its diagnostics.
The US market is a strategic priority. Over 60% of GlycanAge's revenue already comes from the US. This occurs despite a limited permanent staff presence there. The new funding facilitates US commercial expansion. Assays operate via CLIA-certified laboratory pathways. These are recognized as laboratory-developed tests. This ensures regulatory compliance in the US.
Europe remains a scientific core. R&D, clinical development, and software teams are based in Croatia. The company is headquartered in the UK. Commercial, finance, and marketing functions are split between the UK and Bulgaria. A new laboratory in Saudi Arabia is planned. King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) will host it. This facility becomes a central hub. It serves hospital and laboratory networks in the Kingdom, facilitating method transfer.
GlycanAge navigates complex regulatory paths. In the US, LDTs operate through CLIA-certified pathways. In Europe, the company progresses through IVDR frameworks. It seeks clinical validation. This ensures compliance and acceptance. It builds trust in conservative hospital environments. Rigorous validation is key to mainstream adoption.
This journey started over two decades ago. Prof Gordan Lauc pioneered glycobiology research. His work established a global research hub. Glycans were once "dark matter" in biology. They were hugely important but technically hard to measure. Advances in technology and methodology changed this. Measurement became feasible.
A glycan-based aging clock emerged fifteen years ago. This discovery stemmed from extensive research. It eventually became GlycanAge's first commercial product. Aging was not classified as a disease in early applications. Thus, these remained largely outside regulated healthcare. The landscape now changes. Hospitals increasingly embrace prevention, opening new doors.
Prof Gordan Lauc is Co-founder and CSO. Nikolina Lauc is Co-founder and CEO. They drive this transformation. They translate over €40 million in grant-funded research. This research now yields tangible clinical tools. Their vision is routine glycan testing. It ensures everyone over 30 benefits from advanced preventive diagnostics.
GlycanAge employs over 30 people. The team grows rapidly. It pushes the boundaries of personalized medicine. The future involves expanded access. It means validated diagnostic applications. It promises a new era in preventive health. The company is investing in talent and infrastructure.
This shift profoundly impacts healthcare delivery. It moves towards proactive prevention. It provides deeper, more precise insights into individual health. Individuals gain personalized health roadmaps. Healthcare providers gain powerful tools for intervention. The potential for early disease detection and management is vast. GlycanAge is at the forefront of this revolution.
GlycanAge’s substantial funding marks a pivotal moment. It validates glycan-based diagnostics as a critical future component of healthcare. The company is poised for significant global impact. It will reshape how we understand and manage aging and chronic inflammation. Preventive healthcare takes a monumental leap forward, moving closer to universal access and routine implementation.