EIT Health’s Open Innovation programme brings together NimBio, Takeda Belgium, KU Leuven to pilot IBD flare detection

We’re excited to announce a major step forward in the EIT Health Open Innovation programme: the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between start-up NimBio, industry partner Takeda Belgium, clinical partner KU Leuven, and EIT Health. This marks the beginning of a groundbreaking pilot implementation phase to test NimBio’s innovative Inflammometer device in a real-world clinical setting.

This collaboration is the result of a patient-centred co-creation process, where EIT Health worked closely with hospital and industry partners to identify a critical unmet need: improving the monitoring and treatment of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

From unmet need to real-world testing

The journey began with the EIT Health Open Innovation programme, healthcare providers and industry players across Europe were invited to submit pressing unmet needs. We identified a shared challenge from KU Leuven and Takeda Belgium: the need for early detection of IBD flares, improved biomarker identification, and more personalised, proactive disease management.

Through co-creational workshops, supported by market analysis and expert interviews, EIT Health facilitated the joint design of a clearly defined challenge: “Fast, regular and minimally invasive remote monitoring of people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)”.

We then launched a scouting process across Europe, selecting the 10 most promising start-ups and guiding them through an intensive 8-week mentoring programme.

NimBio emerged as the winner with its Inflammometer: a non-invasive technology that uses predictive AI and passive bio-sensing to continuously monitor patients and detect signs of a flare before symptoms intensify. The solution promises to reduce unnecessary consultations and invasive tests, while empowering patients with greater control over their condition.

Pilot phase: Turning innovation into impact

With the MoU signed, we now enter the pilot phase – testing the Inflammometer in a clinical setting at KU Leuven and planning its integration with Takeda’s “For You With You” platform. EIT Health plays a key role in supporting the implementation, coordinating adoption validation, and guiding strategic management – from engaging healthcare systems and patient voices to exploring business models for sustainable scale-up across Europe. The pilot’s goal is to gather both qualitative and quantitative evidence on the device’s real-world impact on patient outcomes, disease management, and potential healthcare cost savings.

This project showcases the mission of the Open Innovation programme: to transform unmet healthcare needs into scalable, evidence-based solutions through strategic partnerships and hands-on collaboration.

We believe this is not just a pilot – it’s a step toward reshaping how we manage chronic diseases like IBD, moving closer to a model of value-based, patient-centred healthcare.

Stay tuned as we continue to share updates from the pilot phase.

Watch the story unfold in our latest video: Discover EIT Health’s Open Innovation Programme – YouTube