An oxygen-delivering partnership.

Transcription

1 July 2016 HEMARINA and CM-CIC Innovation An oxygen-delivering partnership.

2 Hemarina was set up in 2007 and is now globally renowned for its universal therapeutic oxygen carriers developed from marine worms. Founder and CEO Franck Zal spoke to us about the huge scientific and economic potential of this genuinely groundbreaking innovation. Franck Zal

3 HEMARINA and CM-CIC Innovation: revolutionising healthcare. Can you describe the discovery that gave rise to Hemarina? Franck Zal: Hemarina s technology is based on research I did in the 1990s as part of my PhD in marine biology. My aim was to understand how organisms that live on beaches, particularly marine worms, can breathe out of the water and in hostile conditions for hours on end. I discovered that their respiratory capacity stemmed from their circulating hemoglobin (without red corpuscles), which can carry 50 times more oxygen than human hemoglobin. I was also able to prove that this «marine» hemoglobin is universal and does not cause any immune or immunogenic reaction in animal models. In 2007, after several years at the CNRS and with the encouragement of the medical community, I set up Hemarina to exploit the huge potential of this therapeutic oxygen carrier, which is an ideal candidate for various applications. What are your long-term commercial prospects? F.Z.: We are currently in licensing talks with MedTech manufacturers regarding a dressing for hypoxic wounds suffered by people with diabetes, which don t heal because red blood cells don t reach the feet. Our molecule, delivered through a hydrogel within the dressing, allows the wound to be oxygenated from the outside. However, our most advanced project relates to organ transplants. Every year, 20% of transplant organs have to be thrown away because they can t be transplanted quickly enough. We have developed HEMO2life, an additive for the nutrient solutions in which organs are kept. The oxygenation capacity of our molecules extends the «shelf life» of transplant organs from a few hours to several days. The system is currently in clinical trials, and we are looking at bringing it to market in late 2017/early Do you have your own production facilities? F.Z.: We outsource production to LFB Biomanufacturing in Alès. Of course, we will have to add to that outsourcing arrangement in order to produce for the international market. In any case, that s required in our business, because the regulatory authorities demand several sources of production. We also have a pilot molecule extraction and purification unit, although it remains at the laboratory level. We decided at an early stage to breed our own marine worms, which is why we acquired a 13-hectare marine farm the Ferme Marine de Noirmoutier in Securing our value chain is an important part of our strategy. Do you have any other projects underway? F.Z.: We have our collaboration with the US Navy on the treatment of trauma brain injuries caused by

4 explosion blasts. We are working on a powdered hemoglobin which, when added to pharmaceutical water, can oxygenate the brain for over an hour, giving enough time to treat the patient in the combat zone. What role does CM-CIC Innovation play? F.Z.: CM-CIC Innovation invested into Hemarina in 2014, they help us build up the business and make it a genuine industrial-scale therapeutic company. Their teams work with us in a number of areas, including advising on our financial plan and giving us the benefit of their network. Plus, our main contact is a scientist herself, which makes things easier. 15 million of funds raised since patents granted 60 patients involved in the first HEMO2life clinical trial

5 HEMARINA as seen by Emilie Lidome, CM-CIC innovationn. Émilie Lidome It quickly became clear that getting involved in Franck Zal s story was an obvious thing for us to do. As soon as we met, we realised that we shared a similar way of thinking, and we bought into his intended value proposition, which was to fulfil unmet medical needs relating to blood transfusions. Franck Zal s discovery means that we could soon have a solution to address those situations. Having a universal oxygen carrier would be a major step forward for the medical community. And Hemarina s plans don t just relate to transfusions. The potential applications are huge: partly medical, for example in active dressings, and partly industrial, giving a real boost to cell and yeast cultures. However, the management team is not giving in to temptation and trying to be all things to all people. Instead, it is focusing on building for the long term. In every respect, Hemarina is the kind of project that CM-CIC Innovation wants to support.

6 FULLY COMMITTED TO YOU Explorer de nouveaux territoires, aller plus haut, aller plus loin... Chez CM-CIC Innovation, nous croyons aux chefs d entreprise Exploring new qui territories, osent. aiming Quels higher, que going soient farther... leurs At objectifs CM-CIC de développement, Innovation, we believe nous in business accompagnons, leaders who dare sur to take fonds risks. propres et We dans provide la long-term durée, support les projets and equity technologiques financing to facilitate de plus the de technology projects of over 30 high-potential companies with a range 30 sociétés à fort potentiel, dans le cadre d un véritable of development objectives, as part of genuine partnerships based on partenariat mutual trust. basé sur la confiance mutuelle. TheLINKS.fr - RCS Nantes B Juillet Crédits photos : Getty Images - HEMARINA. CM-CIC Innovation - Lyon Espace Cordeliers - 2, rue Président Carnot Lyon Cedex 02 Tél CM-CIC Innovation - Nantes 32 avenue Camus - BP Nantes Tél CM-CIC Innovation - Bordeaux 23, parvis des Chartrons Bordeaux Tél Head office 28 avenue de l Opéra PARIS