Pushing biotech forward in France: 18 companies to know about

France’s biotech sector continues to evolve, blending a strong academic foundation with a growing number of startups tackling diverse disease areas. While funding remains a significant hurdle, particularly for early-stage companies, initiatives like the France 2030 plan are helping to bridge the gap, ensuring that promising innovations have a pathway to development.

The ecosystem is characterized by its diversity, with companies working on everything, from regenerative therapies to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven diagnostics and drug development. The diversity is also felt in the mix of startups and more established companies.

Without further ado, here are 18 French biotech companies to keep an eye on in 2025.

Bioptimus

• Founded: 2024
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: Developing AI foundation models for multiscale biological data

Bioptimus is a French startup aiming to create AI models that can interpret complex biological data across various scales, from molecules to entire organisms. In November 2024, the company released H-optimus-0, an open-source AI model trained on over 500,000 histopathology slides, totaling hundreds of millions of images. This model has demonstrated strong performance in tasks like identifying cancerous cells and detecting genetic abnormalities in tumors.

Bioptimus raised $35 million in seed funding in early 2024, with investments from Sofinnova Partners, Bpifrance Large Venture, and others. In February 2025, the company announced it had reached a total funding milestone of $76 million, including a $41 million injection led by Cathay Innovation. This funding supports the development of a new multiscale, multimodal AI foundation model for biology, expected to launch in 2025.

Brenus Pharma

• Founded: 2014
• Headquarters: Lyon, France
• Focus: Allogeneic immunotherapies targeting tumor resistance in solid tumors

Brenus Pharma is developing off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapies designed to address treatment resistance and relapse in solid tumors. Its proprietary Stimulated Tumor Cell (STC) platform generates allogeneic cancer cell vaccines that mimic the evolving nature of tumors, aiming to train the immune system to recognize and combat resistant cancer cells.

The company’s lead candidate, STC-1010, targets metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), particularly the microsatellite stable (MSS) subtype, which constitutes about 95% of mCRC cases and is typically unresponsive to current immunotherapies. Preclinical studies have demonstrated STC-1010’s ability to activate dendritic cells and CD8⁺ T cells, leading to significant anti-tumor activity across various models. 

In September 2024, Brenus Pharma secured $25 million in a series A financing round to support the clinical development of STC-1010 and advance a second candidate, STC-1020, targeting another solid tumor indication. 

The company plans to initiate a phase 1/2 clinical trial for STC-1010 in patients with unresectable or metastatic MSS and MSI-H colorectal cancer across sites in France, Belgium, and the U.S.

Brenus Pharma’s approach has also been recognized with the “Biotech of the Year” award at the HealthTech 2024 Awards.

Brink Therapeutics

• Founded: 2024
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: Developing programmable recombinases for precise gene editing.

Brink Therapeutics is a Paris-based biotech startup developing programmable recombinases, enzymes capable of precise DNA modifications without introducing double-strand breaks. This approach aims to offer a safer and more efficient alternative to traditional gene-editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9.

In April 2025, Brink secured $4 million in seed funding led by Kurma Partners and Breega, with participation from Kima Ventures and Plug and Play Ventures. The funding supports the company’s goal to validate five recombinases by 2026, demonstrating their efficacy in human cells.

Brink’s technology combines directed evolution, metagenomic exploration, and AI-driven design to develop recombinases tailored for therapeutic applications. The initial focus is on enhancing CAR-T cell therapies for hematological cancers, with plans to expand into treatments for solid tumors and rare genetic diseases.

Cilcare

• Founded: 2014
• Headquarters: Montpellier, France
• Focus: Developing therapies and diagnostics for cochlear synaptopathy and related auditory disorders

Cilcare is advancing treatments for cochlear synaptopathy, often termed “hidden hearing loss,” which affects the synaptic connections between inner ear hair cells and auditory nerve fibers. This condition leads to difficulties in understanding speech amidst background noise and is not detectable through standard audiograms.

In December 2024, Cilcare completed a €40 million ($45 million) series A funding round to support two phase 2a clinical trials for their lead candidate, CIL001, targeting cochlear synaptopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes and those with neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Cilcare is also conducting the SAPHIR observational study to explore the link between hearing impairments and neurodegenerative diseases. The study aims to develop auditory biomarkers for early detection and improved management of such conditions.

Additionally, Cilcare has entered into a collaborative research agreement with Shionogi to develop treatments for hearing loss, integrating Shionogi’s drug discovery expertise with Cilcare’s specialized knowledge in auditory disorders.

Coave Therapeutics

• Founded: 2015
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: Gene therapies for ocular and central nervous system (CNS) diseases
  

Coave Therapeutics is developing gene therapies targeting inherited retinal disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Its lead candidate, HORA-PDE6b, is an AAV5-based gene therapy designed to treat retinitis pigmentosa caused by bi-allelic mutations in the PDE6B gene. In a phase 1/2 trial, patients receiving the higher dose exhibited improvements in visual acuity and retinal sensitivity, with a favorable safety profile. 

Coave’s proprietary ALIGATER (Advanced Vectors-Ligand Conjugates) platform enhances the targeting and efficacy of gene therapies by chemically modifying adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsids or lipid nanoparticles. This technology has shown improved transduction and biodistribution in the CNS and ocular tissues across various species.

In January 2025, Coave closed a €32 million ($36 million) round to advance its ALIGATER platform and pipeline. 

Corteria Pharmaceuticals

• Founded: 2021
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: Developing therapies for specific heart failure subpopulations
  

Corteria Pharmaceuticals is targeting underserved segments of heart failure. Its lead candidate, COR-1167, is a once-daily subcutaneous CRF2 agonist designed to treat worsening heart failure (WHF). In March 2024, the French biotech initiated a phase 1 study to assess the safety and tolerability of COR-1167 in both healthy volunteers and patients with chronic heart failure.

The company has already raised substantial funding, including a €65 million ($70.7 million) series A financing round co-led by OrbiMed, a U.S. investment firm, and Jeito Capital, a leading investment firm based in Europe. 

The France-based biotech company’s research pipeline comprises innovative and first-in-class therapies. 

Beyond COR-1167, Corteria’s pipeline includes:

• COR-1389: A long-acting CRF2 agonist for right heart failure and potentially other cardiometabolic diseases.
  
• COR-2007: An AVP-neutralizing monoclonal antibody aimed at treating acute heart failure with hyponatremia.

DiogenX

• Founded: 2020
• Headquarters: Marseille, France
• Focus: Regenerative therapies for type 1 diabetes
  

DiogenX is working on regenerative therapies aimed at restoring insulin production in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The French biotech’s lead candidate, DGX-01, is a recombinant protein designed to stimulate the regeneration of insulin-producing beta cells by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. 

In May 2023, DiogenX raised €27.5 million ($31.4 million) in a series A financing round led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and Roche Venture Fund, with participation from Eli Lilly and Company, Omnes, JDRF T1D Fund, and AdBio partners. This funding is being used to advance DGX-01 into clinical development.

Currently, DGX-01 is undergoing IND-enabling studies. If successful, DGX-01 could become the first off-the-shelf, disease-modifying therapy for symptomatic T1D patients, offering a potential alternative to lifelong insulin therapy.

Eligo Bioscience

• Founded: 2014
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: In vivo gene editing of the microbiome using CRISPR-based technologies
  

Eligo Bioscience is pioneering a novel class of genetic medicines that enable the precise editing of bacterial genes within the human microbiome. Its proprietary platform, Eligobiotics, utilizes engineered bacteriophage-derived particles to deliver synthetic DNA payloads, such as CRISPR-Cas systems, directly into specific bacterial populations. This approach allows for targeted modulation of the microbiome without disrupting beneficial bacteria.

The company’s lead program, EB005, is a topical CRISPR-based therapy aimed at treating moderate to severe acne vulgaris by selectively eliminating pro-inflammatory strains of Cutibacterium acnes while preserving the healthy skin microbiome. In December 2023, Eligo raised $30 million in a series B funding round led by Sanofi Ventures.

In May 2025, Eligo was also awarded a $5 million grant from the French government’s France 2030 initiative to accelerate the development of its topical gene-delivery platform for immuno-dermatology applications. This funding supports the scaling up of bioproduction processes in partnership with Biose Industries and the expansion of Eligo’s pipeline into other chronic inflammatory skin diseases. 

Eligo’s pipeline also includes EB003, an oral CRISPR-based therapy targeting Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli to prevent hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). 

Enterome

• Founded: 2011
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: Microbiome-derived peptide immunotherapies for cancer and inflammatory diseases

Enterome is one of the few companies leveraging the human microbiome not as a biomarker source, but as the basis for therapeutic development. Its proprietary OncoMimics platform uses bacterial peptides that closely resemble tumor-associated antigens, aiming to stimulate targeted immune responses without the need for patient-specific customization.

The company’s lead candidate, EO2401, has shown encouraging data in glioblastoma. In the phase 2 ROSALIE study, patients receiving EO2401 with nivolumab and bevacizumab achieved a median overall survival of 14.5 months, a meaningful result in this aggressive cancer setting. Meanwhile, EO2463, another OncoMimics-based immunotherapy, is being studied in indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Interim data presented at ASCO 2024 highlighted a 78% complete response rate when combined with lenalidomide and rituximab.

Enterome is also testing EO4010 in metastatic colorectal cancer and EO2040 in patients with minimal residual disease, reflecting its broader ambition to apply microbiome-derived peptides across multiple tumor types. Beyond oncology, the company is collaborating with Nestlé Health Science to develop EndoMimics, a new class of molecules mimicking human cytokines for inflammatory diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and food allergies.

Enyo Pharma

• Founded: 2014
• Headquarters: Lyon, France
• Focus: Developing FXR agonists for rare and chronic kidney diseases

ENYO Pharma specializes in the development of therapies for kidney diseases characterized by fibrosis and inflammation. Its lead asset, Vonafexor, is a synthetic, non-steroidal farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist designed for once-daily oral administration. Vonafexor exhibits both fibrolytic and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a promising candidate for treating various renal conditions.

In January 2024, ENYO Pharma secured €39 million ($44 million) in a series C financing round co-led by OrbiMed and Morningside Ventures, with participation from existing investors including Andera Partners and Bpifrance. This funding supports the ongoing phase 2 ALPESTRIA-1 clinical trial, which evaluates Vonafexor in patients with Alport syndrome, a rare genetic kidney disorder. 

Vonafexor has demonstrated potential beyond Alport syndrome. In the phase 2 LIVIFY study involving patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and impaired kidney function, Vonafexor showed improvements in renal biomarkers, suggesting broader applicability in chronic kidney diseases.

Additionally, ENYO Pharma is developing EYP-651, another FXR agonist currently in phase 2 trials for chronic kidney disease. EYP-651 targets mitochondrial NEET proteins and is being investigated for its potential benefits in diabetic kidney disease and MASH-related renal impairment.

ImCheck Therapeutics

• Founded: 2015
• Headquarters: Marseille, France
• Focus: γ9δ2 T-cell activation via butyrophilin-targeting antibodies for oncology and infectious diseases
  

Imcheck Therapeutics is looking to become a prominent player in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Its approach consists of activating gamma-delta T cells. Its lead candidate, ICT01, is a monoclonal antibody designed to activate γ9δ2 T cells, aiming to enhance anti-tumor immune responses.

In phase 1/2, ICT01 combined with azacitidine and venetoclax demonstrated a 96% composite complete remission rate in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy, including those with high-risk genetic mutations. The treatment was well-tolerated, with adverse events consistent with known profiles of azacitidine and venetoclax. 

Beyond hematologic malignancies, ImCheck is exploring ICT01 in combination with pembrolizumab for solid tumors, including refractory melanoma and urothelial carcinoma.

Mnemo Therapeutics

• Founded: 2019
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: Next-generation CAR-T therapies targeting epigenetically derived tumor-specific antigens
  

Mnemo Therapeutics is developing a novel class of CAR-T therapies aimed at overcoming the limitations of current treatments, particularly in solid tumors. Its proprietary platform, EnfiniT, integrates antigen discovery and T-cell engineering to enhance the specificity and persistence of CAR-T cells.

A key innovation of EnfiniT is the identification of E-antigens-tumor-specific antigens arising from aberrant splicing between exons and transposable elements. These antigens are absent in healthy tissues, offering a promising avenue for targeted therapies with reduced off-tumor effects. 

The company’s last funding was a substantial €75 million ($90 million) series A financing round in June 2021, led by Casdin Capital and Sofinnova Partners, with participation from Redmile Group, Emerson Collective, and Alexandria Venture Investments.

Nanobiotix

• Founded: 2003
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: Nanoparticle-based radioenhancers for solid tumors

Nanobiotix is developing NBTXR3 (also known as JNJ-1900), a radioenhancer designed to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy in solid tumors. The therapy involves injecting hafnium oxide nanoparticles directly into tumors. When activated by radiation, these particles intensify tumor cell destruction and may help trigger a broader anti-tumor immune response.

The company struck a major deal with Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen unit in 2023, licensing the global rights to co-develop and commercialize NBTXR3. In March 2025, the agreement was updated: Janssen agreed to take over nearly all remaining development costs for the ongoing phase 3 NANORAY-312 trial in head and neck cancer, easing Nanobiotix’s financial burden and extending its cash runway into mid-2026. 

Recent clinical updates show momentum. In pancreatic cancer, a phase 1 study reported a median overall survival of 23 months in patients treated with NBTXR3, alongside a favorable safety profile. Meanwhile, in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), another phase 1 trial found that re-irradiation with NBTXR3 led to a 12-month local progression-free survival rate of 64% and overall survival rate of 83%.

OSE Immunotherapeutics

• Founded: 2012
• Headquarters: Nantes, France
• Focus: First-in-class immunotherapies in immuno-oncology and immuno-inflammation

OSE Immunotherapeutics develops therapies that modulate the immune system to treat cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. 

In immuno-oncology, its lead asset Tedopi, a neoepitope-based cancer vaccine, is in a phase 3 trial for HLA-A2 positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who have progressed after checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Additionally, a phase 2 trial evaluating Tedopi in combination with nivolumab for advanced pancreatic cancer has shown promising results, with positive topline data reported in March 2025. 

In immuno-inflammation, lusvertikimab (OSE-127), an anti-IL-7 receptor monoclonal antibody, has demonstrated positive results in a phase 2 trial for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. 

OSE has also partnered with Boehringer Ingelheim to develop SIRPα inhibitors. At ASCO 2025, Boehringer presented early clinical data on BI 765063 and BI 770371, both showing manageable safety profiles and preliminary signs of anti-tumor activity in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Beyond its clinical programs, OSE is leading a consortium to develop novel mRNA therapeutics under the HexARN project, supported by €1.3 million ($1.48 million) in funding from Bpifrance and the Pays de la Loire Region. The initiative aims to address challenges in RNA-based therapies, including delivery and manufacturing scalability.

Owkin

• Founded: 2016
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: AI-driven precision medicine 

Owkin is working at the intersection of machine learning and medical research. It uses AI to analyze large, multimodal datasets, such as pathology images, genomics, and clinical records, to help identify new drug targets, stratify patients, and improve trial outcomes.

In 2025, the company introduced K Navigator, a generative AI tool designed to support biomedical research teams. The tool offers access to MOSAIC Window, a spatial omics dataset built in-house, and aims to speed up data interpretation and hypothesis generation for cancer research.

Owkin has also entered partnerships with several pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca, Sanofi, and Bristol Myers Squibb. One project with AstraZeneca focuses on building an AI tool to identify patients with breast cancer who may carry gBRCA mutations.

The company has raised more than $330 million to date.

Polygon Therapeutics

• Founded: 2021
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: Cardio-immunology therapies for acute cardiovascular events

Polygon Therapeutics is a French biotech company developing therapies that target the immune system’s role in acute cardiovascular events, particularly myocardial infarction (MI). 

Its lead candidate, PLG-101, is a human anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody designed to mitigate immune-mediated cardiac damage during reperfusion therapy. Preclinical studies have shown that a single injection of PLG-101 during reperfusion can reduce infarct size by 60% and improve heart function by 25%, without observed side effects.

The company plans to initiate first-in-human studies of PLG-101 in 2025 across Europe and the United States. To support this, Polygon secured €7.5 million ($8.6 million) in seed funding and has been recognized by programs such as Innov’Up Leader PIA.

Sensorion

• Founded: 2009
• Headquarters: Montpellier, France
• Focus: Gene therapies and small molecules targeting hearing loss

Sensorion is a French clinical-stage biotech company developing therapies to restore and preserve hearing. Its lead gene therapy program, SENS-501, targets otoferlin deficiency, a genetic mutation responsible for congenital hearing loss. In 2024, the company launched the Audiogene phase 1/2 trial, administering SENS-501 via intra-cochlear injection to infants aged 6 to 31 months. Early data from the first cohort showed good tolerability and encouraging behavioral improvements. 

A second gene therapy program, GJB2-GT, is in preclinical development and targets mutations in the GJB2 gene, the most common cause of childhood deafness. 

The company also continues to develop SENS-401, an oral small molecule designed to protect inner ear tissue. It is currently being evaluated in a phase 2 trial for preventing cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in pediatric patients. 

SparingVision

• Founded: 2016
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Focus: Gene-agnostic therapies for inherited retinal diseases
  

SparingVision is developing gene-agnostic therapies for inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), with a primary focus on retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Its lead candidate, SPVN06, is designed to preserve cone photoreceptors, aiming to slow or halt vision loss regardless of the specific genetic mutation causing RP. SPVN06 delivers two proteins, rod-derived cone viability factor (RdCVF) and its long form RdCVFL, via a single subretinal injection, providing neuroprotection and reducing oxidative stress. 

The ongoing phase 1/2 clinical trial has shown a favorable safety profile for SPVN06. In phase 1, patients with advanced RP tolerated the treatment well, with no serious adverse events reported. A phase 2 trial is currently enrolling patients with intermediate RP to further assess safety and efficacy. 

Beyond RP, SparingVision plans to initiate a phase 2 trial of SPVN06 for geographic atrophy secondary to dry age-related macular degeneration (dAMD), following supportive feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The company is also developing SPVN20, targeting later stages of rod-cone dystrophies, and has a strategic collaboration with Intellia Therapeutics to explore CRISPR-based genome editing for ocular diseases. 

SparingVision’s latest funding round was a €75 million ($85.6 million) series B in 2022.

France, a strong European player

In 2024, France’s biotech industry experienced robust private equity rounds supporting biotech firms. However, no new life science initial public offerings (IPOs) were recorded for French companies in 2023 or 2024, highlighting a possible challenge in public market exits.

But government initiatives have still continued to support the sector. For instance, Bpifrance has invested €5.5 billion ($6.3 billion) in HealthTech since 2021, and has mobilized €2.3 billion ($2.3 billion) of public funding through the France 2030 Plan. In 2024, an additional €1.25 billion ($1.4 billion) was committed to support the development of the sector.

Despite these efforts, challenges remain. A survey by France Biotech revealed that 88% of biotech leaders have been negatively impacted by 2024’s economic and political challenges, including rising inflation and tighter financing conditions.

The broad industry is currently facing uncertainty and French biotechs are too. But with its strong footing in the European biotech landscape, perhaps France will have some opportunities to step up in the years to come.

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