GlycanAge has raised €7.4m to expand glycan testing and bring ageing diagnostics into mainstream care.
Glycans are complex sugars that coat cells and many proteins, helping control immunity and cell signalling. GlycanAge reads these signals, including an “inflammaging” clock based on IgG glycosylation (sugar chains added to antibodies), to estimate biological age and the impact of inflammation and lifestyle.
The company says the funding will accelerate clinical development and widen access for clinicians, with products for stress and resilience, cardiometabolic health, weight management and hormones.
GlycanAge plans to validate selected diagnostic uses and launch its first lab-developed tests for hospitals and reference labs. St Catherine Specialty Hospital in Zagreb is the first pilot partner, with more than 10 hospital deployments targeted across Europe and the Middle East next year.
The startup will open its first Saudi Arabia laboratory with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology to act as a hub for testing and method transfer. Research collaborations include Northwestern University Hospital and Mayo Clinic.
“Our goal is to make glycan testing part of standard preventive diagnostics, where everyone over the age of 30 can access it through their healthcare provider,” said Prof Gordan Lauc, co-founder and chief scientific officer of GlycanAge.
The round totals €7.4m (about US$8.7m), led by Fifth Quarter Ventures with participation from Guinness Ventures, BrightCap Ventures, South Central Ventures, Impetus Capital, Vesna Deep Tech VC and Lightfield Equity, and pro rata support from existing backers including LaunchHub Ventures and Kadmos Capital. In 2024, GlycanAge raised a €3.9m seed round.
