APPLIED RESEARCH USING OMIC SCIENCES SL

Their core work

AROMICS is a Barcelona-based biotech SME that applies omics sciences — genomics, transcriptomics, and related molecular approaches — to discover and develop drug candidates for cancer, with a specific emphasis on hard-to-treat and rare malignancies. Their core competence is translating molecular biology insights into therapeutic compounds: in practice, this means identifying targets in cancer cells (such as RNA binding molecules involved in chemoresistance) and engineering or repurposing small molecules to hit those targets. They have demonstrated both research participation capacity — contributing to a multi-partner cancer metabolism consortium — and independent drug development leadership, coordinating an SME Phase 2 project to advance a berberine derivative toward clinical use in malignant mesothelioma. For a collaborator or business partner, they represent a compact, scientifically deep team able to operate at the chemistry-biology-clinical interface in oncology.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

AROMICS entered H2020 in 2017 as a participant in META-CAN, a fundamental research project on cancer metabolism and immune system crosstalk — work at the exploratory, pre-clinical end of the spectrum with no commercial drug candidate yet visible. Within a year they moved into coordinating BERMES, which represents a decisive shift from broad cancer biology toward a specific therapeutic asset: a defined chemical compound (berberine derivative), a defined disease (malignant mesothelioma), and a defined regulatory pathway (orphan drug). The trajectory is clear: from upstream omics-informed research toward asset-centric drug development, suggesting the organization is building toward a proprietary pipeline rather than remaining a research service provider.

AROMICS is moving from research participation toward owning and advancing proprietary drug candidates in rare oncology indications, making them a credible target for co-development partnerships or licensing discussions rather than just scientific consortium roles.

How they like to work

AROMICS has taken both a partner role and a coordinator role within just two projects, indicating they are comfortable on either side of a consortium table. As coordinator of BERMES under SME Instrument Phase 2, they managed their own project with full accountability — a signal that they can operate independently, not just as a supported participant. Their 19 unique partners across 8 countries from only 2 projects suggests they join well-connected consortia and are not insular, but the small portfolio makes it impossible to judge whether they build long-term partner loyalty or routinely work with new networks.

AROMICS has connected with 19 distinct consortium partners across 8 countries in just two projects, suggesting they select well-networked consortia rather than small bilateral collaborations. No geographic concentration is identifiable from this data, though their Spanish base and European project portfolio point to a primarily EU-facing network.

What sets them apart

AROMICS occupies a specific niche that few SMEs fill: they combine omics-level molecular insight with hands-on drug development for rare cancer indications, positioning them at the intersection of academic translational research and biotech asset development. Their successful SME Instrument Phase 2 coordination — one of the most competitive EU funding instruments for company-led innovation — is a quality signal that distinguishes them from research-only spinouts. For a consortium builder, they bring both scientific credibility in cancer biology and the operational profile of a drug-development company that can carry a project from molecule to clinical preparation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BERMES
  Coordinated as the sole company lead under SME Instrument Phase 2 with EUR 1,085,660 — the largest share of their total H2020 funding — advancing an original berberine derivative specifically toward orphan drug status for malignant mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer with almost no approved therapies.
• META-CAN
  Participation in a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network signals AROMICS's integration into a multi-national academic research consortium studying cancer metabolism, giving them access to early-stage science pipelines that can feed future drug development efforts.