Eligo Bioscience, a pioneering gene-editing company based in France, has successfully raised $30 million in a Series B funding round, with Sanofi Ventures leading the investment. The company specializes in addressing diseases linked to the microbiome by employing innovative in-vivo delivery of genetic cargoes to the microbiome.
Unlike traditional gene therapy and editing approaches, Eligo’s technology broadens the scope of addressable genetic targets by focusing on precise genetic modifications within the human microbiome. This unique strategy holds promise for significantly altering the course of various chronic and life-threatening diseases that are either triggered or driven by the expression of bacterial genes.
The funding round, supported by new investor Bpifrance (via its InnoBio 2 fund) and existing backers Khosla Ventures and Seventure Partners, propels Eligo towards becoming a clinical-stage biotech company. As part of the financing, Laia Crespo, Ph.D., Partner at Sanofi Ventures, and Benoit Barteau, Investment Director at Bpifrance, will join the board of directors.
Laia Crespo, Ph.D., Partner at Sanofi Ventures, expressed excitement about leading the financing and supporting Eligo’s move to the clinic. She highlighted the impressive delivery and editing technologies developed by Eligo, believing that these advancements will open new avenues in the application of in vivo gene-editing technologies.
According to Xavier Duportet, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Eligo Bioscience, the additional funding from prominent healthcare investors reaffirms strong support for the company’s vision. He sees this as a defining moment for Eligo, positioning the company to make significant strides in treating diseases by editing the genetic makeup of the human microbiome.
The funding will be allocated to accelerate the development of Eligo’s flagship program, EB005, targeting moderate to severe acne vulgaris—a prevalent inflammatory disease affecting approximately 3 percent of the global population. The investment will support pre-IND and IND activities, aiming for early human data readouts in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial. Additionally, it will enable Eligo’s expansion into other chronic diseases, including oncology.
