Lottie file
Innovatie
From Light to Relief: A Breakthrough Approach to Eczema and Itch Treatment
Opschaling
Eight out of ten eczema patients struggle to stay consistent with their treatment — often due to side effects, inconvenience, or high costs.
PHLECS Full-body blue light therapy offers a UV- and drug-free alternative that is effective, user-friendly, and designed to enhance patient well-being.
Hulpmiddel
Medisch technologische innovaties
Regio Zeeland
Help ons versnellen
Phlecs is transforming dermatology, and we invite stakeholders to join us on this journey. Healthcare professionals can attract new patients with innovative skin care solutions. Medical insurance companies can enhance patient satisfaction while reducing costs. And investors have the opportunity to fuel Phlecs’ growth, shaping the future of safe, effective, home-based treatments for millions living with skin conditions.
David Aubert
Probleemstelling
Eczema (atopic dermatitis) affects millions of patients worldwide, 400.000 in the Netherlands and profoundly impacts their quality of life. Chronic itching and skin irritation can lead to sleep disturbances, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. The visible nature of the condition often causes emotional distress, including anxiety, low self-esteem, and social withdrawal. Daily routines are disrupted by frequent treatments and lifestyle adjustments, while work and school performance can be negatively affected.
Current treatments leave much to be desired: eight out of ten eczema patients report dissatisfaction due to significant limitations, such as side effects or inconvenience. While new therapies like biologics show promise, they are extremely expensive and often reserved for only a small subset of patients, as insurance companies limit prescriptions due to budget constraints.
Given the global trends of population aging and the rise of chronic diseases, innovation is critical if society wants to provide affordable healthcare. In the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases, the most expensive drugs do not always deliver sustainable outcomes. Lifestyle interventions play a crucial role, but a holistic approach is equally important.
Oplossing
High-intensity blue light therapy is a cornerstone of this holistic approach. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated its safety and effectiveness, with even greater clinical outcomes observed when combined with salt baths. Phlecs’ full-body device is user-friendly and can provide significant skin relief within just a few weeks — a much faster improvement compared to many drug-based treatments, all without the use of ultraviolet light or pharmaceuticals.
VWS-missies
Many eczema patients experience mental health challenges, including depression and low self-esteem, which ultimately have a profound impact on their overall quality of life.
Our innovation aligns closely with the VWS Mission III, aiming to improve the quality of life for chronic patients and enhance their participation in society.
Doelgroep
With full-body blue light therapy, we target eczema patients suffering from moderate to severe forms of the disease, including chronic itching. This represents a population of approximately 160,000 in the Netherlands and 16 million across the EU and US, the regions where Phlecs is primarily focused.
Verlaging zorgkosten
Biologics are currently the most effective therapies for this patient group, but they cost between €15,000 and €20,000 per patient per year. By using blue light therapy, we can reduce these costs by a factor of 5 to 10. Incorporating blue light therapy as a first-line treatment could help some patients avoid biologics altogether, generating substantial savings for the healthcare system.
Verdienmodel
Currently, we sell the full-body device to clinics for €24,000, with the option to rent it for €900 per month. Without insurance coverage, clinics typically charge patients directly for each treatment, ranging from €500 to €700 for a series of ten sessions — the optimal number to achieve significant reduction in eczema symptoms. In 2028, we plan to launch the next-generation full-body device, a more compact and affordable version designed for clinics with limited space. Additionally, this second-generation device will offer the option for clinics to rent it to patients who prefer home-based treatments, providing greater convenience and accessibility.
Geïnvesteerd vermogen
€ 100 duizend-1miljoen
Concurrentie
Our main competition comes from pharmaceutical treatments such as biologics and JAK inhibitors. While these therapies are highly effective, they are also extremely expensive — costing between €15,000 and €20,000 per patient per year. As a result, prescriptions are limited in the Netherlands, where only about 5,000 eczema patients can access these drugs, despite approximately 140,000 suffering from moderate to severe forms of the disease — the group for which these treatments are intended.
In contrast, Phlecs’ full-body blue light therapy is 5 to 10 times more cost-effective while delivering high-quality care. By adopting this approach, the Dutch healthcare system can achieve substantial cost savings and help prevent further increases in treatment expenses, all while improving outcomes and accessibility for patients.
Unieke kenmerken
The Phlecs full-body device is the only therapy proven effective in treating eczema without the use of drugs or ultraviolet light. This full-body platform delivers high-intensity blue light treatment safely and effectively through its patented technology. The next-generation model will also be suitable for home use, offering patients greater convenience while incorporating digital workflows to ensure treatment compliance and enhanced physician monitoring.
Intellectueel eigendom
Phlecs holds a strong intellectual property position, with two patent families filed in 2023 and 2024. Our technology enables personalized therapy tailored to each patient’s profile, improving both efficacy and comfort. Additional patents on treatment methods have also been filed, providing a unique competitive advantage as we scale the business.
Organisatie
Phlecs BV is composed of five experienced MedTech professionals with deep expertise in product development, regulatory affairs, clinical management, and healthcare marketing. In 2026, we plan to expand our team by hiring additional talent to strengthen our R&D capabilities and support commercial growth across the EU and US markets.
Beschrijving pilotfase
The first-generation product is a minimum viable product (MVP) currently sold to professional clinics across Europe. This device has been instrumental in validating both the technology and the business model. For example, two international clinical studies have confirmed the effectiveness and safety of Phlecs’ blue light therapy. By commercializing the MVP in multiple European markets, we have successfully demonstrated the viability of our business model and how dermatology clinics can generate revenue using our device — whether treatments are reimbursed through medical insurance or paid directly by patients.
Betrokken partners
We have collaborated with international partners for the initial development of our product. The next-generation device, designed for home use, is being developed as part of a Dutch innovation project supported by leading local partners. These include Unitron (IJzendijke) and TNO (Delft) as technology providers, Bravis Hospital (Bergem op Zoom), which is responsible for clinical validation, and the Care Innovation Center West-Brabant (Roosendaal), which advises us on integrating this innovation into the Dutch healthcare system.
Aantal gebruikers pilot
101-1.000
Onderzoeksresultaten
The Phlecs full-body device has been clinically studied and validated in two international research centers.
At the Medical University of Łódź (Poland), a published study demonstrated that the Phlecs device delivers fast, safe, and effective results — reducing itching and eczema symptoms by 40–50% after just 10 treatments, while significantly improving patients’ quality of life. These results are comparable to commonly used therapies, with the key advantage that Phlecs’ treatment is completely UV- and drug-free.
The Dermatology Clinic of Bad Bentheim (Germany) conducted another study, presented at this year’s Congress of Dermatology in Berlin. The findings confirmed that Phlecs’ innovation is at least as effective as UV therapy, the current gold standard in phototherapy. Moreover, when combined with salt baths, the treatment achieves in just two weeks the same level of clinical improvement that typically requires several months with the most expensive new drug therapies.
Rapportage pilot
Implementatiestrategie
We commercialize our innovation through dermatology and skin clinics that provide phototherapy treatments. Typically, patients undergo 5 to 10 sessions to achieve a significant reduction in itching and eczema symptoms. Currently, the therapy is reimbursed by German insurance providers when offered in medical spas, while in other countries it is generally paid out-of-pocket by patients. Beginning in 2027, we plan to introduce a home-use device that patients will be able to rent through dermatology clinics or medical equipment providers, such as pharmacies, offering greater accessibility and convenience.
Reeds in gebruik
Phlecs Full Body Blue minimun viable product is available in Northern European countries and is distributed through university hospitals, medical spas, dermatology clinics and pharmacies.
In Poland, the Medical University of Lodz is performing research and treating patients with blue light.
In Denmark, for example, three pharmacies offer treatments for eczema patients at a cost of €50 per session.
In Germany, the Bad Bentheim thermal baths offer blue light therapy in combination with saltwater baths. They recently completed a clinical study involving 150 eczema patients, which showed excellent clinical results. This study will be presented at the next German Dermatology Congress in Berlin in April 2025.
In the Netherlands, the TSW clinic in Vinkel offers blue light treatments to patients suffering from topical withdrawal syndrome
Behaalde prestaties of gewonnen awards
Phlecs has been recognized for its innovation, winning an award at the AgeingFit International Conference in 2022. The company has also received several grants from EIT Health and MRE Eindhoven, as well as a recent €1 million grant from the OPZuid Stimulus Program to develop the next-generation full-body device in collaboration with a consortium of partners from the South Netherlands region.
Productontwikkeling
The next generation of the full-body device, currently under development, will be portable and suitable for home use, offering greater convenience for patients. It will feature smart technologies, including integrated sensors that personalize treatment based on each patient’s biometric parameters. The device will also be securely cloud-connected, enabling physicians to monitor treatment compliance and support patients in adhering to their prescribed therapy.
Internationale ambitie
Phlecs already has sales across Europe and regularly participates in major professional conferences throughout the continent. Building on this foundation, we plan to launch our innovation in the United States in 2027, and we have already begun developing relationships with key US healthcare stakeholders to support this expansion.
Omzet
€ 11-100k