Two advanced health technology projects based in Galway have been awarded a combined €21 million in funding from the Irish government’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF). The significant investment will accelerate the development of a novel cancer therapy and an advanced heart pump, positioning the region as a hub for cutting-edge medical innovation.
The largest portion of the funding, a record-breaking €12 million, has been granted to the N-LIFT project. This initiative is a collaborative effort led by the Spiddal branch of Lift Biosciences, with key contributions from the University of Galway and Hooke Bio, based in Shannon. The N-LIFT project is developing a revolutionary cancer therapy designed to overcome treatment resistance in advanced or metastatic tumors that have stopped responding to conventional treatments. This substantial DTIF allocation is the largest in the fund’s history and is earmarked to enable the project’s first-ever human clinical trials, a critical step toward bringing this potentially life-saving treatment to patients.
In addition to the cancer therapy, a separate project focused on an advanced heart pump has secured over €9 million in DTIF funding. This consortium is led by Galway-based medical technology firms Cardiacbooster and Integer, in partnership with Dublin-based Foundry Innovation & Research 1. The project aims to develop a next-generation heart pump to treat cardiogenic shock, a life-threatening condition where the heart fails to pump sufficient blood to the body’s vital organs. This innovation has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes for this critical and often fatal condition.
These funding awards underscore the government’s commitment to supporting high-tech, disruptive technologies that have the potential to address major health challenges. The success of these Galway-based projects highlights the region’s strong ecosystem of academic research, medtech expertise, and private-sector innovation. Both initiatives are expected to generate significant job growth and further cement Ireland’s reputation as a global leader in the life sciences sector. The DTIF, managed by Enterprise Ireland, is a key component of the government’s Project Ireland 2040 strategy, which aims to drive economic growth and societal benefits through strategic investments in research and development.
