Presscuff, a spin-off from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and UZ Brussel, is building a patented endotracheal tube that uses a double-cuff system to block infectious secretions from reaching the lungs of mechanically ventilated patients. Early bedside tests on 12 patients showed 100 % prevention of micro-aspiration, a key cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) that kills up to 15 % of affected ICU patients. With its recent €781 k financing, the company will launch a 60-patient clinical trial led by Prof. Joop Jonckheer starting mid-2026, lasting one year. If successful, management targets commercial rollout between 2027 and 2028, positioning the device as a cost-saving tool that could shorten ICU stays by 6–9 days per avoided infection. Beyond the flagship tube, the team is already exploring an integrated sensor for real-time infection monitoring. Presscuff was founded by former ICU nurse Emiel Suijs together with the late Prof. Herbert Spapen and is currently led operationally by Dr. Benjamin De Vlam. To date the company has secured €781,478 in external funding through equity crowdfunding and public subsidies to finance R&D and regulatory milestones.

Total raised

$1M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Feb 2026