Inserm Subsidiary joins Fund to back Healthcare Startups

AMF-regulated(1) Adbio partners, an investment company dedicated to life sciences, has welcomed Inserm Transfert, a private subsidiary of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) as an investor in its AFB Fund II.

“We’re delighted to welcome Inserm Transfert as investor in our second fund. It is a prestigious partner within the French and European life sciences industry. We share a single vision: promoting entrepreneurship in French academic research into health and helping to develop an ecosystem, which sometimes has a silo mentality but is also rich in innovation and talented individuals. This is the goal that we will pursue together,” said Alain Huriez, chairman and managing partner at AdBio partners.

The partnership will make it easier for life sciences startups to find funding, whilst also strengthening entrepreneurial skills among scientists with a background in academic research, such as those at Inserm. The investment company’s portfolio already contains a number of companies whose IP originates from Inserm, including Alderaan Biotechnology, DiogenX, Tridek-One and Thabor Therapeutics.

“We’re very familiar with the AdBio partners team, their network and their experience as investor-entrepreneurs in early-stage healthcare companies. This combination of factors convinced us that it is the ideal partner for strengthening the role of entrepreneurship in our value-adding strategy, as we look for practical ways to bring innovative technologies to the market for the benefit of all,” added Pascale Augé, chairman of the Executive Management Board at Inserm Transfert.

The initial closing of ADbio partners’ second fund announced in September 2021 reached €86 million ($102M). Other investors include the European Investment Fund (EIF), the French Seed Fund 2 (FNA 2), managed by Bpifrance on behalf of the French State as part of the future investments program, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Pierre Fabre, various family offices and the management of AdBio partners.

1 The French financial market authority

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