New cancer-preventing treatment receives £500,000 investment with help from UMi
Lant Medical has secured £500,000 investment from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, and two angel investors from the Northern Investor Hub to design a clinical trial for a promising new non-antibiotic treatment, designed to eradicate cancer-causing Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).
Founder of Lant Medical, Joanne Lant, developed the formulation to treat her own antibiotic-resistant H. pylori infection. She aims to make it available as an over-the-counter indigestion treatment followed by clinical trials to fully validate its medical claims.
Lant Medical has successfully secured the seed funding to design a clinical trial for a groundbreaking non-antibiotic treatment targeting H. Pylori, the most common pathogenic bacteria in the world. An estimated 50% of the global population is infected, yet current treatment options remain limited and problematic.
The investment – consisting of grant funding of £250,000 from Innovate UK and £250,000 from North East-based angel investors and members of the Northern Investor Hub – will fund the design of a clinical trial, manufacture of the formulation for trial, and field trials in India to validate the treatment’s efficacy.
Additionally, Lant Medical is working alongside the NHS to improve access to H. Pylori testing, allowing patients to obtain a test without the need for repeated GP visits. The company strongly advises anyone experiencing persistent indigestion to request an H. Pylori test before taking long-term medication that may have lasting side effects.
Joanne believes her formulation could make a significant difference amid World Health Organisation warnings about H. pylori’s cancer-causing risk, increasing antibiotic resistance, and emerging evidence of the long-term damage of using proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for chronic indigestion.
Lant Medical also worked with Northern Investor Hub, powered by UMi, to apply for Innovate UK’s Future Economy Investor Partnership Programme. The initiative aims to align grant funding for research and development with investment from partnerships with credible investor partners. Grant funding is aligned with private sector investment.
Northern Investor Hub acted as Lant Medical’s investor partner, supporting the company through the Innovate UK grant application process, and then to raise the private sector investment with two angel investors.
Joanne Lant, Founder of Lant Medical, said: “I’m excited by the possibility for this treatment to help a lot of people, benefitting their overall health and avoiding the misery of side effects from antibiotics. It will also contribute to cost-savings and efficiency for the NHS, saving multiple trips to GPs and reducing the number of costly antibiotics prescribed.
“We are incredibly grateful to Innovate UK for providing grant funding, to our angel investors for their belief and investment, and to UMi for making this possible. This funding marks a crucial step in our mission to develop a safer, more effective approach to treating H. Pylori and improving global health.”
Charlotte Scott, Senior Investor Relations Manager at UMi, said: “Supporting Lant Medical on their investment journey has been incredibly rewarding. Joanne’s dedication to developing an innovative, non-antibiotic treatment for H. pylori is truly inspiring, and this funding will be a game-changer in advancing clinical trials.
“At UMi, we are passionate about helping businesses like Lant Medical secure the right funding to turn their groundbreaking ideas into reality. We’re excited to see the impact this treatment could have on global health and look forward to continuing our support to help them do more and go further.”