Viacure Therapeutics, a spin-off from Helmholtz Munich, is preparing a new antibody therapy for type 2 diabetes for clinical testing. The therapy aims to protect insulin-producing beta cells and restore their function. An exclusive licensing agreement with Helmholtz Munich and a collaborative project with a total budget of nearly €10 million lay the groundwork for the next stages of development. The Free State of Saxony and the European Union are funding 80 percent of the project.
In type 2 diabetes, the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin. The insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas therefore need to supply more insulin. As the disease progresses, beta cells can gradually lose their function or be lost altogether, leaving the body unable to supply enough insulin. Viacure Therapeutics is targeting beta cells directly. Its antibody therapy aims to preserve or regenerate beta cells and their function, supporting the body’s ability to regulate blood glucose.
Inceptor at the Center of Therapy Development
The new therapeutic approach focuses on Inceptor, a receptor discovered by a research team led by Prof. Heiko Lickert, Director of the Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research at Helmholtz Munich. Inceptor dampens insulin signaling in beta cells and directs insulin for degradation within the cell. Antibodies that block Inceptor are designed to modulate these processes. In preclinical studies, blocking Inceptor increased insulin sensitivity and insulin content in beta cells and markedly improved their regulated insulin release and survival under stress associated with type 2 diabetes. Clinical studies are needed to determine whether the approach is safe and effective in people with type 2 diabetes.
The consortium coordinated by Viacure Therapeutics aims to advance the antibody candidate through preclinical development and lay the groundwork for a first study in humans. The project has a total budget of nearly €10 million, with 80 percent funded by the Free State of Saxony and the European Union.
“This enables us to take the next step from scientific discovery toward a potential therapeutic application,” says Lickert, who is also Scientific Lead at Viacure Therapeutics. “To do so, we need to manufacture the antibody to the required quality standards and carefully assess its safety.”
For Nikolas Uez, CEO and co-founder of Viacure Therapeutics, this marks the start of the next phase of development. “Funding from the Free State of Saxony and the European Union is a strong signal for Saxony’s biotechnology sector and for Viacure Therapeutics as a young, research-driven company. It enables us to build specialized expertise in Saxony and, together with our partners Fraunhofer IZI in Leipzig and CUP Laboratorien Dr. Freitag in Radeberg, advance an innovative therapeutic approach to the point where it is ready for clinical testing. We believe this work has the potential to make an impact well beyond the region.”
Wolfgang Burger, CTO of Viacure Therapeutics, highlights the importance of the funding for preclinical development. “This funding is a major milestone for Viacure Therapeutics. It allows us, as a young company, to take responsibility for preclinical development and advance our therapeutic approach from Saxony together with strong partners.”
From Discovery to Clinical Testing
The development builds on many years of basic research at Helmholtz Munich. Lickert’s team first described Inceptor in 2021 and subsequently investigated its role in beta-cell function. The founding of Viacure in 2023 marked the start of efforts to translate these findings into an antibody therapy. The licensing agreement signed on September 23, 2026, grants Viacure and its subsidiary Viacure Therapeutics, founded in 2025, exclusive rights to Helmholtz Munich’s Inceptor-related patent portfolio.
“Viacure Therapeutics shows how basic research can give rise to a concrete project to develop a new therapy,” says Prof. Martin Hrabě de Angelis, Scientific Managing Director and Spokesperson of the Helmholtz Munich Management Board (acting). “As a research centre, we provide the scientific foundation and support the transfer of our findings through spin-offs and the licensing of our technologies. Our goal is for new insights to one day improve treatment for patients.”
The consortium coordinated by Viacure Therapeutics includes the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI in Leipzig and CUP Laboratorien Dr. Freitag GmbH (CUP Contract Labs) in Radeberg. The partners aim to complete preclinical development of the antibody candidate by the end of 2028 and lay the groundwork for a first clinical study.
The collaborative project coordinated by Viacure Therapeutics will run for two and a half years. Funding is provided through the Saxon State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy and Climate Protection (SMWA) under the EU regulation establishing the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). The funds come from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Through STEP, the EU supports the development of strategically important technologies, including biotechnology.
About Helmholtz Munich
Helmholtz Munich is a leading biomedical research center. Its mission is to develop groundbreaking solutions for a healthier society in a rapidly changing world. Interdisciplinary research teams focus on environmentally influenced diseases, particularly the treatment and prevention of diabetes, obesity, allergies, and chronic lung diseases. Researchers use artificial intelligence and bioengineering to bring their findings to patients faster. Helmholtz Munich has more than 2,555 employees and is based in Munich/Neuherberg. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest research organization, with more than 48,000 employees and 18 research centers.
More about Helmholtz Munich (Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt GmbH)
www.helmholtz-munich.de
About Viacure Therapeutics
Viacure Therapeutics GmbH, based in Radeberg, is developing an antibody-based approach to type 2 diabetes that builds on Inceptor research at Helmholtz Munich. Founded in 2025 as a subsidiary of Viacure GmbH, the company coordinates the consortium responsible for preclinical development of the antibody candidate and preparations for a first clinical study.
About Fraunhofer IZI
The Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, based in Leipzig, brings together research in medicine, the life sciences, and engineering. In the collaborative project, it is developing the manufacturing process for the antibody candidate, producing the investigational medicinal products, and assessing efficacy and potential toxic effects in animal models.
About CUP Contract Labs
CUP Contract Labs, based in Radeberg, specializes in the analysis of complex medicinal products, including radiopharmaceuticals, biologics, and targeted therapeutics. The company supports pharmaceutical development and GMP quality control through analytical method development, product-specific validation, microbiological testing, and specialized analytical services.
About the Researcher
Prof. Heiko Lickert is Director of the Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research at Helmholtz Munich and Scientific Lead at Viacure Therapeutics.