InBrain Pharma is a biotechnology company developing innovative solutions to combat neurodegenerative diseases based on Brain Infusion, which consists of the controlled administration of a substance to the central nervous system. Created in 2018 based on research conducted by Prof. David DEVOS, the start-up has announced €1 million in seed funding, secured during a round of financing with Finovam, Nord France Amorçage, and a network of business angels. This funding is intended in particular to initiate clinical trials in humans for its new therapeutic solution for patients with Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease currently affects 200,000 people in France, including 22,000 cases in the Hauts-de-France region. Faced with a lack of solutions for patients and buoyed by promising research results, the InBrain Pharma team is committed to offering new treatments based on Brain Infusion, which involves the controlled administration of a substance to the central nervous system.
Following the example of continuous insulin administration in diabetic patients, Professor David DEVOS had the idea of developing the administration of dopamine in anaerobic conditions and intracerebrally to patients with Parkinson's disease at the stage of complications from oral treatment, i.e., after 5 to 7 years of progression.Numerous expressions of interest from pharmaceutical industry players confirm the potential of the technology. At the same time, successes and awards are multiplying, reinforcing the scientific recognition of the project.
In 2017, InBrain Pharma was selected as the winner of the University of Lille Foundation's call for expressions of interest, enabling it to obtain €200,000 in funding. In 2018, InBrain Pharma was created to exploit the technology under a license agreement signed with SATT Nord. That same year, the start-up was also among the winners of the i-Lab innovation competition. It also obtained funding through the Plan d'Investissement d'Avenir (Investment Plan for the Future) operated by Bpifrance and the Hauts-de-France region.
At the end of 2018, InBrain Pharma completed its first round of fundraising, raising more than €1 million from Finovam Gestion, Nord France Amorçage, and Business Angels.
"The SATT Nord maturation program, from which InBrain Pharma benefited, initially enabled the consolidation and protection of the research results on which the start-up now relies. Acting as a true facilitator for research-based project leaders, SATT Nord continues to support InBrain Pharma by giving it access to the advice and expertise of our teams." Fabrice LEFEBVRE, President of SATT Nord