Enalees invests in new proteomics development and production laboratory for veterinary market

Enalees invets in new proteomics development and production laboratory for veterinary market 

New laboratory measuring over 160 m² financed by €500,000 subsidy from Île-de-France region as part of France 2030 Investments for the Future Program.

Enalees, a biotech company specializing in the design, production and marketing of state-of-the-art rapid molecular diagnostic tests for the veterinary profession, today announces the official opening of its new proteomics development and production laboratory at the Genopole cluster site (Greater Paris region, France) for production of recombinant proteins and to strengthen R&D for its rapid diagnostic kits to support veterinary professionals.

This new production site forms part of Enalees’ development plan; in October 2022 it received a €500,000 subsidy as part of the France 2030 Investments for the Future Program, allocated by the Ile-de-France region. Enalees designated around
€300,000 of this budget to cutting-edge lab equipment. €105,000 was dedicated to building work, which was financed in part by SEM Genopole. 

This unit will focus on the production of specific recombinant proteins used to detect new pathogens in animal infectious diseases. It will enable Enalees to broaden its focus to include other species in addition to dogs, cats and horses. Enalees will therefore be able to improve the performance of its diagnostic kits and develop them to detect currently undetectable pathogens which require greater diagnostic sensitivity. To support this development, the company plans to recruit a PhD student and a senior technician to its R&D department.

The new production site will allow Enalees to reinforce its supply chain to meet the growing needs of the veterinary market throughout Europe, for reliable rapid diagnostic solutions that are easy to use. Enalees’ molecular tests, which are designed to detect DNA specific to the target pathogen using an isothermal amplification method (LAMP PCR), produce a result after just 30 minutes’ analysis time, meaning animals can be treated more quickly and isolated if necessary.

« I’m very proud of the progress Enalees has made in so little time. This success is the result of the unfailing commitment on the part of our teams to make our ambitions a reality, both on the French market and internationally. This new laboratory and the pilot proteomics factory are evidence of the strategic industrial transformation that we have undergone and our ability to innovate, which is so highly prized by our customers. I would therefore like to thank our shareholders and all our partners who made this new production site possible. This is a crucial time for Enalees, due to the group’s European and international expansion and our active search for funding to meet the needs of the veterinary market and to reach our growth targets.  » 

Laurent Thiery, president and co-founer of Enalees

Initially, the laboratory will be used to meet Enalees’ internal R&D and production needs. In the longer term it could enable the company to offer its services to third-party companies in the biotech and veterinary sectors. It has the necessary equipment for production of recombinant proteins, including an AKTA chromatography system and high-precision pipetting robots.

« Enalees is a major partner in the Genopole biocluster, having set up here in 2016 just after it was created. It has experienced significant growth since then, extending its market internationally, taking on new staff and expanding. We are delighted to support its progress with these laboratories, which were custom built and finished on time, located close to its offices. Genopole’s strength lies in its ability to support the companies in the biocluster at every stage of their journey. We celebrate Enalees’ latest achievement and going forward will continue to do everything in our power to meet its needs.  » said David Bodet, deputy director of Genopole and CEO of SEM Genopole.

« Thanks to multiple investment tools and its financing program, the French government is proud to support this successful startup since its creation and its establishment on the Genopole site. I appreciate the human and societal values conveyed by this company and I support the industrial project that Enalees is developing locally. This new laboratory is the perfect example of the increasing industrialization of the company.  » said Bertrand Gaume, prefect of Essonne.

The global veterinary diagnostics market size was valued at $4.4 billion (€4bn) in 2018 and is projected to reach $9.5 billion (€8.7bn) by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 10% during the forecast period. 

About Enalees

Enalees develops and produces rapid isothermal PCR diagnostic tests which enable veterinary professionals to diagnose infectious diseases – both in their veterinary practices and in the field – without the need to send samples to an external laboratory. Its team, which is primarily made up of doctors, engineers and biology technicians, has a particular focus on the development of innovative tests for domesticated animals (horses, dogs and cats).

Based on an isothermal amplification technique, the company’s products can detect 12 infectious diseases in horses, including Lyme disease (or Borreliosis) and equine influenza. To date, 80% of equine veterinary clinics in France use the technology. In 2021, the company also launched ten new tests for diagnosing infectious diseases in dogs and cats, making it the French market leader in veterinary LAMP PCR (Loop-mediated isothermal AMPlification Polymerase Chain Reaction). Enalees’ tests are currently available in Europe and will soon be launched in the US.

Enalees moved to the Genopole research center (France) in 2016, where it later set up its own lyophilization platform. This new facility enabled the company to increase its production capacity to over one million tests a year, including products for its own animal health business as well as custom tests for its partners.

Enalees now employs 38 staff. In 2021 it recorded €1.5 million ($1.47M) in sales, which equates to 66% growth.