Heidelberg, Germany, June 1, 2026 – Heidelberg Epignostix GmbH, a deeptech company committed to transforming cancer diagnostics through DNA methylation-based AI classification, today announces the appointment of Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Felix Sahm, MD, PhD, MBA as Chief Medical Advisor. In this new role, Felix will advise the company’s clinical and medical strategy as Heidelberg Epignostix advances its portfolio of precision tumour classification tools toward broad clinical adoption.
Felix Sahm is one of the world’s foremost authorities on molecular neuropathology and a co-founder of Heidelberg Epignostix. He serves as Medical Director of the Department of Neuropathology at the Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and holds a Full Professorship in Neuropathology at Heidelberg University. His research has been instrumental in identifying novel molecular types and subtypes of brain tumours and translating those discoveries into diagnostic tools now used in clinical practice worldwide.
There is a high unmet need in access to personalised patient management that calls for the rapid development of a widely available clinically certified tool, to enable routine use and broad adoption for improved patient outcomes. As Chief Medical Advisor, I look forward to bringing my clinical expertise and deep familiarity with different technologies as we push toward widespread diagnostic certification and expanded indications.
Prof Dr Dr Felix Sahm, Head of Neuropathology at University Hospital Heidelberg & Chief Medical Advisor, Heidelberg Epignostix
As a co-founder, Felix Sahm has already been central to Heidelberg Epignostix’s scientific direction at the company’s establishment. His appointment brings in his expertise at a pivotal moment: the company’s flagship Heidelberg Epignostix CNS Tumour Methylation Classifier, already applied to more than 180,000 patient samples and endorsed by WHO and NCCN guidelines is progressing toward full IVD-R diagnostic certification, and the company has recently launched classifiers for sarcomas and other tumor types beyond the CNS.
“Felix’s scientific vision and clinical credibility are inseparable from what Heidelberg Epignostix has achieved,” said Helge Lubenow, CEO of Heidelberg Epignostix. “Having him as Chief Medical Advisor strengthens our team at exactly the right moment, as we move from research-use tools to certified diagnostics that will genuinely change how cancer patients are treated.”
This appointment follows a period of significant growth for Heidelberg Epignostix, which raised €4.3M in seed funding in 2024 and has already expanded its classifier applications across multiple tumour indications and platforms. The company’s technology, licensed exclusively from DKFZ and Heidelberg University, combines epigenetics with AI-powered bioinformatics to classify tumour subtypes that are otherwise difficult or impossible to distinguish using conventional histology.
About Heidelberg Epignostix GmbH:
Heidelberg Epignostix is a healthcare company whose mission is to transform cancer diagnostics through data science. The company has developed novel AI-based bioinformatics algorithms with utility in cancer classification that hold promise for improved accuracy in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapy management. The lead product, the Heidelberg Brain Tumor Classifier, is currently available as a research-use-only resource. Heidelberg Epignostix is a spin-off company from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University and is located in Heidelberg, Germany. For more information visit www.epignostix.com.
For further inquiries:
Areeba Patel
Heidelberg Epignostix GmbH
Nikola-Tesla-Straße
69124 Heidelberg
Germany
Email: areeba.patel@epignostix.com
www.epignostix.com
