Eclosion: Incubator for market stars in Geneva

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Stefan Kyora

02.03.2017

The two Geneva-based biotech companies Geneuro and ObsEva have ventured on to the stock market in recent months, followed  this week by Genkyotex. All three companies were supported by Eclosion, the Geneva life sciences Incubator. Eclosion has supported  27 companies in total so far.

It is only a few steps from the former Merck Serono building to the headquarters of the Geneva incubator Eclosion. Although it has been renting here only since last summer, the Eclosion Foundation has a history going back more than 10 years. It began in 2004 in the Geneva suburb of Plan-les-Ouates, where the incubator still has about 1,000 m2 of laboratory space. This shows that Merck Serono was by no means the only biotech company in Geneva, and the ecosystem with players such as Eclosion has made the canton a strong centre for biotechnology in recent years – even after the lights went out at Merck Serono.

This has become apparent in recent months, with three companies taking the floor: Geneuro chose the Euronext in Paris, ObsEva ventured on to the New York Nasdaq and the shares of Genkyotex are now also traded on the Euronext after a targeted reverse takeover. All three companies have been partially or comprehensively supported by Eclosion. “Geneuro in particular has gone through our entire support process,” explains Eclosion managing director Christophe Guichard.

Creating the best DNA of a start-up
The aim of the incubator is to create the best DNA of a start-up. “We have an industrial view,” says Guichard. This is crucial for start-ups with strong scientific rationale in order to be interesting to investors or licensees. Specifically, the young companies are brought to the point where they have meaningful data.

Eclosion is fully focused on life sciences, with more than half of the   start-ups developing new drugs. “We primarily support companies that adopt a completely new approach. Young companies with only incremental improvements are not our core business,” says Guichard.

And Eclosion looks well balanced in terms of technological milestones: seven drug candidates from Eclosion start-ups are already in the clinical trial phase.

The incubator contributes to their success with a comprehensive support service. In addition to laboratory and office space at the two sites, it also includes support in business development and on the scientific side. The breadth and quality of support is reflected in the leadership team. Director Christophe Guichard, a proven financial specialist, has been involved in two IPOs and also served as a CFO at Geneuro. The scientific director Farid Bouzidi has more than 15 years’ experience in business/corporate/product development. He has also worked for Roche, Genentech, AC Immune and Institut Pasteur. The third member of the team, Yann Dean, is a biotech specialist with a wealth of experience in the development of drugs.

Financial support
Eclosion also offers financial support through Eclosion Ventures, which has invested in Geneuro, Arisgen, Netris Pharma and Genkyotex, and which works closely with the Eclosion Foundation. Guichard and Bouzidi are also members of Eclosion Venture’s leadership team. Eclosion also supports start-ups’ fundraising efforts either through funds from foundations, CTI grants and regional grants (Interreg) or European programs, such as Horizon2020.

In January, the support from the State of Geneva has been confirmed with the renewal of a 4-year law for the period 2017-2020, securing funds for its own operations. At the same time, a new Foundation Board with leading personalities has been elected and a new initiative, Geneus business initiator, was launched. Geneus based at the premises of Campus Biotech Innovation Park where EPFL has a branch and close to the Wyss Institute, will mature life science ideas and projects with economic potential. A very good thing, as Guichard says: “The new centre here will strengthen the whole ecosystem of the region.”

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