Tecnimede Open Innovation Competition 2026: ACT Lab Project Selected as Finalist

The project GILDED, GLP-1R-targeted ionizable lipid nanoparticle for miRNA delivery in diabetes, developed by members of the ACT Lab, has been selected as one of the 10 finalist projects in the Tecnimede Open Innovation Competition 2026, promoted by the Tecnimede Group.

Following a rigorous evaluation by the competition’s selection panel, the most promising projects in pharmaceutical technology advanced to the final stage, where they will compete for the €100,000 Jorge Ruas Award. The ACT Lab proposal focuses on the development of targeted lipid nanoparticles for miRNA delivery as a potential therapeutic strategy for diabetes.

The project was submitted by a multidisciplinary team including Hugo Fernandes, Sandra Mimoso Pinhanços and Cláudia Deus (ACT Lab), in collaboration with Luís Bimbo, an Assistant Professor in Pharmaceutical Technology and a researcher at the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology at the University of Coimbra, and a clinical partner, Doctor Joana Serra-Caetano.

As part of the competition’s communication activities, a video report was recorded at the ACT Lab on May 4 2026, highlighting the research behind the GILDED project and the work carried out by the team. The filming session provided an opportunity to showcase the laboratory environment and discuss the scientific foundations and potential impact of this innovative approach to diabetes and other diseases treatment.

The finalists will present their projects at the final event of the Tecnimede Open Innovation Competition, where one project will be distinguished with the €100K Jorge Ruas Award.