Astraveus is coming out quietly to advance cell and gene therapy platforms

Astraveus SAS has emerged from the silence with the completion of its €16.5 million ($18.1 million) Series Seed financing.

The company creates a modular microfluidic cell casting that transforms cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing.

Astraveus has developed the Lakhesys platform, an end-to-end cell foundry that uses deep process optimization and single-use microfluidic bioprocessors to deliver what the company says are “better results with less input.”

It says that, by eliminating the need for large-scale infrastructure, reducing costs and processing time, and addressing the logistical challenges associated with manufacturing CGT, the company is working to expand patient access to this life-changing therapy. The financing will enable the company to advance its technology development and expand the team.

The innovative core of Lakhesys is a microfluidic bioprocessor, which mimics organ perfusion and accelerates the exchange of molecules required to sustain and transform cells into potent therapeutic agents.

“The high levels of precision and miniaturization enabled by microfluidic bioprocessors allow for more efficient manufacturing, reducing labor, floor space, and energy requirements, resulting in less waste and making the process much cheaper and greener,” the company said.

Although CGT is a young market, it has received sizable investment – ​​averaging over $18 billion per year since 2020 – but its high per patient costs of up to $2 million have been a brake on the development of new therapies and their adoption. already identified. By minimizing changes between process and clinic development, and offering immediate modular scalability, Astraveus says Lakhesys saves time and costs, and has the potential to transform clinical research and approved product manufacturing, accelerating CGT adoption.

Jérémie Laurent, Founder and CEO of Astraveus, said: “Astraveus has an ambitious vision to revolutionize the development and commercialization of cell and gene therapy. By reducing costs, increasing precision and driving scalability, we are enabling the realization of the full potential of this therapy and making it accessible to a much wider audience of patients.”

Series Seed financing is led by partner AdBio, jointly syndicated with M Ventures, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC Inc., and Bpifrance Large Venture.