IntegraGen raises euro6.3 million in first round

Investee Company – IntegraGen (France)

Investee Company Business Type – Discovers genes involved in complex diseases and develops genomics products

Type of Financing – Early stage

Equity Providers – CDC Innovation 2000, GenAvent, BioAm, Bay Tech

Equity Leader (Individual) – Thierry Laugel, CDC Innovation 2000

Debt Providers – N/A

Debt Type – N/A

Debt Leader (Individual) – N/A

Equity Amount – euro6.3 million

Total Deal Value – euro6.3 million

Other Advisors – N/A

Comments – French biotech company IntegraGen has today announced first round fund raising of euro6.3 million. Investors in the round included CDC Innovation 2000, GenAvent, BioAm and Bay Tech.

Founded in July 2000 as a spin off of CNG (Centre National Genotypage), IntegraGen is focused on using its technology platform, GenomeHIP (Genome Hybrid Identity Profiling) to discover the genes involved in complex diseases while avoiding the limitations associated with existing methods.

The company is based in Evry, south of Paris in the heart of the Genopole, the “French Genetic Valley”. The GenomeHIP technology enables the analysis of the entire genome in one step, quickly generating the precise identification of all the loci where the genes of interest reside. This process is targeted at reducing the time taken in finding the genes involved with complex diseases.

Internal programs focused on by IntegraGen are primarily targeted towards the identification of genes involved in metabolic diseases (obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases). It is from the identification of genes connected to these diseases that the company is set to leverage the development of products and services in therapeutics, diagnostics and pharmacogenomics.

IntegraGen’s chief executive officer, Jean-Luc Gerbier, said: “I am confident that this fund raising, added to the competences and know-how of the founders, will permit us to rapidly become a major player in the post genomic market.”