Microbiology, Investor News

VIB spin-off MRM Health reports positive preclinical results in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

MRM Health is a VIB spin-off founded in 2020 by Sam Possemiers in a joint venture with VIB. Using a 9-strain bacterial consortium, MRM Health’s laboratories led by Dr. Salvador Augustin and Dr. Maria Martell of the University Hospital of Vall d’Hebron were able to slow down disease progression in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Preclinical results show that a live bacterial consortium of 9 rationally selected gut commensal strains were able to improve portal hypertension, insulin signaling, and NAFLD activity score. Additionally, the consortium helped prevent fibrosis development in two different in vivo disease models of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), improving endothelial functions and rebalancing the gut microbiome.

Lies Vanneste

Lies Vanneste

Investor Relations Manager, VIB

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Researchers uncover why humans are more sensitive than other species to a brain developmental disease

Researchers uncover why humans are more sensitive than other species to a brain developmental disease

Leuven, 4 November 2026 – Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven have uncovered how mutations in the ASPM gene disrupt the development of neural stem cells that help the human brain grow. This disruption explains how these mutations cause microcephaly, a condition characterized by an abnormally small brain and head, often accompanied by intellectual disability. The discovery, published in Developmental Cell, also sheds light on how differences in brain development can make humans more susceptible to certain genetic conditions than other mammals.

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How blocking immune cell signals could make brain tumors easier to remove

How blocking immune cell signals could make brain tumors easier to remove

Leuven, Belgium, 27 October 2026 – In a new study published in Cancer Cell, researchers at VIB-KU Leuven reduced the spread of glioblastoma by interrupting specific interactions between the brain’s immune cells and tumor cells. The discovery points to a possible new therapeutic strategy, in which blocking communication between immune and cancer cells makes tumors more contained and easier to remove.

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Human stem-cell model reveals a shared origin for tissue-resident macrophages

Human stem-cell model reveals a shared origin for tissue-resident macrophages

VIB researchers have developed a new human stem-cell-based model that recreates an early stage of immune-cell development and shows how a single progenitor population can give rise to specialized macrophages across different organs. The model provides a platform to study how these processes change in disease, and how they might eventually be harnessed therapeutically.

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About VIB Press

VIB is an independent research institute that translates insights in biology into impactful innovations for society. Collaborating with the five Flemish universities, it conducts research in plant biology, cancer, neuroscience, microbiology, inflammatory diseases, artificial intelligence and more. VIB connects science with entrepreneurship and stimulates the growth of the Flemish biotech ecosystem. The institute contributes to solutions for societal challenges such as new methods for diagnostics and treatments, as well as innovations for agriculture. 

Learn more at www.vib.be.

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