23 Apr IU Angel Network Invests in Biotech Company Advancing Drug Development with Human-Relevant Models
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The IU Angel Network, an investment vehicle of IU Ventures, today announced an investment in GoldiloxBio, a biotechnology company developing next-generation human tissue models to improve the drug development process. The company was co-founded by Travis Block and Milos Marinkovic, Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the IU School of Medicine.
GoldiloxBio is addressing a fundamental challenge in pharmaceutical development: despite billions of dollars spent annually, the vast majority of drug candidates fail in clinical trials. A significant driver of this inefficiency is the lack of predictive preclinical models, which often fail to accurately replicate human biology.
For co-founders Block and Marinkovic, the limitations of current drug testing systems are not just theoretical–they are deeply personal and professionally experienced.
During a medical episode involving Block’s wife, he noticed an abnormal heart rhythm while listening to her heartbeat. With his background in human cardiomyocyte research, he quickly recognized the abnormal rhythm and urged her to seek cardiac evaluation. She was later diagnosed with a complex polymorphic arrhythmia involving multiple forms of irregular electrical activity in the heart.
Subsequent genetic testing identified several mutations on genes associated with cardiac conditions, though none were previously clinically characterized. To better understand her condition, Block and Marinkovic took a novel approach: they reprogrammed her blood cells into stem cells, differentiated them into cardiomyocytes, and matured them using a proprietary cardiac maturation matrix.
This enabled the team to recreate her arrhythmia in a dish with high fidelity, closely mirroring her clinical presentation. The model is now being used in collaboration with clinical cardiology expertise to evaluate potential therapeutic compounds in a highly controlled research setting.
“Traditional preclinical models, including animal models, fail to mimic human physiology, making it extremely difficult to understand what therapeutics are likely to be safe or effective in people,” Block said. “We are attempting to address this problem with a system that allows for translatable cardiac safety and efficacy screening in a minimally complex system.”
While the work represents a highly personalized application of the technology, it underscores a broader opportunity: the need for scalable, human-relevant tissue models that can improve predictive accuracy across drug discovery and development.
GoldiloxBio has developed a platform that uses human stem cell-derived tissue models to more accurately replicate how drugs behave in the human body. The company’s initial focus is on cardiac toxicity–one of the leading causes of drug failure–where its technology enables researchers to directly observe heart cell function and detect arrhythmias in real time.
Unlike traditional models that rely on animal testing or simplified cell systems, GoldiloxBio’s approach incorporates the extracellular matrix–the structural environment surrounding cells–allowing for more mature, physiologically relevant tissue behavior. This results in more accurate predictions of how drugs will perform in humans.
The platform combines advanced tissue engineering with proprietary software capable of rapidly analyzing functional data, generating insights in hours rather than weeks. Over time, the company plans to build a proprietary dataset to further enhance predictive capabilities through machine learning.
“This is a real shift in how preclinical research gets done,” said Olivia Schmitt-Metz, Executive Director of the IU Angel Network. “The ability to recreate human-relevant biology this accurately has the potential to change how drugs are developed and de-risked.”
The IU Angel Network’s investment will support GoldiloxBio as it continues to validate its technology, expand its capabilities, and begin commercializing its platform with pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners.
“GoldiloxBio is developing the next generation of preclinical cardiac safety and efficacy models,” Marinkovic said. “This funding from the IU Angel Network enables us to accelerate our go-to-market strategy while building alongside partners who understand the complexity of bringing new scientific platforms to market.”
As the pharmaceutical industry faces increasing pressure to improve efficiency and reduce failure rates, GoldiloxBio is positioned to play a critical role in modernizing preclinical testing. By enabling more predictive, human-relevant models, the company aims to reduce costly late-stage failures and accelerate the development of safer, more effective therapies.
About IU Ventures
IU Ventures invests in and supports IU-affiliated early-stage companies. Its investment programs include the IU Philanthropic Venture Fund, the IU Angel Network, and the Innovate Indiana Fund. Further support initiatives include the IU Founders and Funders Network. Each program takes a unique approach to accelerate and support the positive impacts that entrepreneurs affiliated with IU already achieve across the world. http://www.iuventures.com/
About GoldiloxBio
GoldiloxBio is a biotechnology company developing advanced human tissue models to improve the accuracy and efficiency of drug development. The company leverages stem cell biology, extracellular matrix science, and proprietary software to create physiologically relevant in vitro systems. GoldiloxBio’s platform enables researchers to directly measure human tissue function, providing more predictive insights into drug safety and efficacy. GoldiloxBio is initially focused on cardiac toxicity, with broader applications across drug discovery and disease modeling. https://www.goldilox.bio/
Media Contacts
Travis Block
GoldiloxBio
travis@goldilox.bio
Olivia Schmitt-Metz
IU Ventures
oschmitt@iu.edu