Group picture of 6 people with an oversized cheque
© Marek Kruszewski/IBT Lower Saxony
The Citrapeutics project headed by Frank Pessler (3rd from left) receives more than 1.4 million euros in funding from the Institute for Biomedical Translation (IBT) Lower Saxony.
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The IBT Lower Saxony supports Innovative Biomedical Ideas with nearly 2.5 Million Euros of Funding

HZI project Citrapeutics receives 1.4 Million Euros for the development of a novel oral immunotherapy

A novel oral immunotherapy for cancer and a drug for treating chronic liver fibrosis: What many patients are hoping for is already a part of cutting-edge research in Lower Saxony. To ensure that such innovative ideas are translated into practical applications more quickly, the state of Lower Saxony is funding particularly promising projects: “Citrapeutics” from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and “RNA Healer” from the Hannover Medical School (MHH) will receive a total of nearly €2.5 million in funding from the Institute for Biomedical Translation (IBT) Lower Saxony to spur their innovations.

At the fifth portfolio conference of the IBT at the TRAFO Hub in Braunschweig on 18 November 2025, two projects were selected as winners after competing against five other research teams from Lower Saxony. The funding is intended to enable the rapid clinical trials of the research results and their commercial success through the founding of startups.

These are the winning teams:

Citrapeutics (Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig)
Citrapeutics aims to revolutionize cancer treatment and offer patients an alternative to conventional immunotherapies. The project team under the lead of PD Frank Pessler, head of the research group “Biomarkers for Infectious Diseases” at the TWINCORE – Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, is developing small-molecule inhibitors for a novel oral immunotherapy for cancer. The plan is to further optimize the currently most promising drug, Citra01, and to generate additional ones. TWINCORE is a joint institution of the HZI and MHH.

RNA Healer (Hannover Medical School)
RNA Healer is developing an RNA-based drug for patients with advanced chronic liver fibrosis. The goal is to reduce devastating scarring and improve liver function in the long term.

A total of seven teams from leading life science research institutions in Lower Saxony, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover Medical School, University of Göttingen, University Medical Center Göttingen, and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig, presented their ideas at the IBT event. The presented projects cover a wide range of biomedical innovations in the fields of immunology, neurodegeneration, medical robotics and imaging, AI-based solutions, and drug development.

The jury, chaired by Prof. Peter Hammann (Consultant, formerly Sanofi) and vice-chaired by Prof. Helga Rübsamen-Schaeff (AiCuris), faced a correspondingly difficult decision. "I am delighted by the impressive quality of the proposals and the ever-increasing interest in our activities. With IBT funding, we aim to accelerate the best project ideas, promote exchange between science and industry, and facilitate new cross-site collaborations in Lower Saxony," said Prof. Thomas Sommer, Director of IBT Lower Saxony.

From idea to funding

The newly funded IBT projects will receive a total funding of nearly €2.5 million over a two-year period. The first phase of funding focuses on rapid scientific and market-oriented development. The goal is to transform research ideas into business concepts and enable the timely establishment of a company with a business plan. The subsequent phase focuses on commencing business operations and securing further external financing. With these two new projects, the IBT portfolio now comprises ten projects with total funding of almost €11 million.


At the conclusion of the event, the sixth call for proposals for next year's award was published. The next portfolio conference will take place on 5 May 2026 in Hanover.

About the IBT Lower Saxony

Lower Saxony is internationally recognized as one of Germany's leading locations for biomedical research. To accelerate the translation of research findings into new preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures, IBT Lower Saxony brings together science, clinical practice, and entrepreneurship. The goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem for the next generation of biomedical startups through exchange between academic institutions and industrial partners. Innovative ideas not only receive funding options but also access to world-class infrastructure and expertise.


The IBT was launched in 2023 as a collaboration between three leading scientific institutions (Hannover Medical School, Göttingen University Medical Center, and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig) and recently became part of the state's business and innovation agency, Niedersachsen.next. Initial funding is provided by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation. Further information

The remaining finalists of the IBT Portfolio Conference

DECYTE (University of Göttingen)

DECYTE is laying the foundation for a scalable, non-invasive diagnostic platform with the potential to revolutionize early cancer detection and thus improve patients' chances of survival. The project team is developing a novel, blood-based technology for the early detection of various types of cancer that captures complex systemic immune changes. This is made possible by AI-supported analysis of immune profiles.

FLARE (Leibniz University Hannover)

FLARE is developing a superior near-infrared dye for real-time imaging during surgery, offering improved contrast and faster imaging using existing clinical systems. The project aims to expand the portfolio of sNIR, PET, and bimodal probes for infectious diseases, optimize their interaction with robotic systems, and thus improve the overall surgical process for the benefit of patients.

Nanoprotective (University Medical Center Göttingen)

Nanoprotective aims to develop specialized nanobodies as a form of therapy. These are versatile recombinant antibody fragments derived from llamas/alpacas. Their patented nanobody exhibits exceptional properties. It reduces harmful immune activity without affecting overall immunity. This innovative approach could enable a safer and more effective treatment for patients with multiple sclerosis.

ReMyeMe (Hannover Medical School)

ReMyeMe aims to demonstrate a concept for improved remyelination, thereby opening up new avenues for the anti-inflammatory treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis and other similar diseases. The PolySia-mediated effects depend on the degree of polymerization. PolySia with selected polymerization levels contributes to immune balance by limiting the activation of inflammatory microglia via the PolySia-Siglec axis.

RETRACT (University Medical Center Göttingen)

RETRACT has developed a surgical robotic system that performs organ retraction during abdominal surgery. The robot is intuitively controlled by the surgeon via hand guidance, enabling safe operations and easy integration into the clinical workflow. This innovation reduces ergonomic problems during lengthy operations and the time required by specialist staff for simple retraction tasks.

[Translate to English:] Charlotte Schwenner

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  • Press photo The Citrapeutics project headed by Frank Pessler (3rd from left) receives more than 1.4 million euros in funding from the Institute for Biomedical Translation (IBT) Lower Saxony. ©Marek Kruszewski/IBT Lower Saxony
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