Business France and the Galien Foundation Name 2020 Galien MedStartUp Award Winners – Treefrog Therapeutics, Wandercraft & e-Scopics, Reinforce Partnership Between France and the United States

NEW YORK & PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Business France and the Galien Foundation are pleased to announce the winners of the 7th edition of the Galien MedStartUp Prize, granted by an exceptional panel, during the Prix Galien awards ceremony. The ceremony brings together the largest names in the pharmaceutical industry and is an opportunity to pursue partnerships between France and the United States in medical innovation. The winners of the 2020 Galien MedStartUp Prize are:

• BEST COLLABORATION IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL OR BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
  
  Treefrog Therapeutics and its C-Stem technology, a major development in cell therapy

• BEST COLLABORATION IN THE MEDTECH OR DIGITAL HEALTH SECTOR
  
  Wandercraft for its development of the first exoskeleton available to the general public

• BEST COLLABORATION FOR THE DEVELOPING OR UNDERSERVICED POPULATIONS WORLDWIDE
  
  E-Scopics for their developments in portable ultrasounds

In parallel, Business France and the Galien Foundation have organized virtual networking sessions and panels for 30 French startups, 350 biotech and med-tech American business leaders and investors to facilitate the development of new partnerships.

THE GALIEN MEDSTARTUP AWARD – STRENGTHENING TIES WITH THE UNITED STATES

In 2019, the global drug market reached US$1,106 billion in sales (approximately €977 billion), up more than 5% compared to 2018. The US market remains the largest, representing 47.5% of the global market, and France remains the second largest European market behind Germany, according to the trade body LEEM. The global medical device market is estimated at US$409 billion in revenues in 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of 4.5% over 2018-2022, and the United States remains the largest market, with 45% market share. With revenues of €30 billion in 2019 (compared to €28 billion in 2016), and the number of businesses registered in France growing by more than 200 to reach 1,502 in 2019, the medical device sector in France is showing strong momentum. (Sources: Business France and trade body SNITEM)

Since 2013, Business France and the Galien Foundation have been working together to support the international development of the most promising French startups, selected by a world-renowned jury, by connecting them with leading American businesses in their fields. By connecting and sharing skills, expertise, creativity and ambition, they are developing new medical innovations and changing the way certain diseases are treated. For the past seven years, the Galien MedStartUp Prize has been a real springboard for French businesses. The MedStartUp Days have resulted in more than 125 collaborative projects and Franco-American partnerships signed, US$300 million raised to date, and more than 4,500 B2B meetings organized to connect French firms with North American investors, industry players and opinion leaders.

According to Elsa Rive, Health Director for Business France North America, “The United States represent almost one-quarter of foreign investments in the pharmaceutical sector and more than 40% in the medical sector in France. The Galien MedStartUp Award confirms the need to strengthen collaboration between the United States and France to continue developing international partnerships, with our startups working to improve global health.”

“The Partnership between the Galien Foundation and Business France corresponds to the strategy of the Foundation – which is to improve health for humankind,” explained Bruno Cohen, President of the Galien Foundation. “Our two organizations both recognize the importance of innovation in life sciences in securing health as an essential resource. The Galien Medstartup Program generates significant global business opportunities by bringing together the best ideas from the two largest centers of excellence in biopharmaceutical research: the United States and Europe.”

“With the Galien MedStartUp Prize, the Galien Foundation in partnership with Business France, is honored to recognize the vision of this year’s nominees for “best innovation” as they continue their quest for better health for patients around the world,” said Bernard Poussot, Director of Roche Holding, former CEO of Wyeth and Chairman of the Digital Health Committee.

“I know how important the Galien Prize is each year in recognizing some of the most creative therapeutic innovations and research,” explained French President Emmanuel Macron.

In addition, 125 businesses have benefited from the visibility of this award, strengthening relations between American partners and enabling them to build long-term business relationships to develop major innovations of the last decade.

A PRESTIGIOUS PANEL FOR INNOVATIONS OF EXCELLENCE

The seventh edition of the Galien Medstartup Prize in 2020, chaired by Bernard Poussot, Director of Roche Holding and former Chairman & CEO of Wyeth, has been granted to reward the most innovative projects in the healthcare industry and provide an exclusive profile to a world-renowned panel.

• Bernard POUSSOT, Director of ROCHE HOLDING, Former Chairman & CEO, WYETH. Committee Chair
• Roch DOLIVEUX, Honorary CEO, UCB
• Mikael DOLSTEN, Global R&D President, Pfizer
• Jean Pierre GARNIER, Former CEO, GSK
• Penny HEATON, CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute
• Franz HUMER, Former Chairman & CEO, Roche
• François MAISONROUGE, Senior Managing Director, Evercore Partners
• Elias ZERHOUNI, Former Head of Global R&D, Sanofi

WINNERS OF THE 2020 GALIEN MEDSTARTUP PRIZE

BEST COLLABORATION IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL OR BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY

Treefrog Therapeutics: A true French gem in the cell therapy industry, the Bordeaux-based startup created in 2018 by Maxime Feyeux, biologist, President, Kevin Alessandri, physician and CEO, and Jean-Luc Treillou, pharmaceutical doctor and Chairman of the Board, has developed a breakthrough technology for the mass production of cell therapies.

In 2018, the firm raised €7.1 million and opened a one-of-a-kind industrial production site in which it invested €2 million. Over 1,200 square meters built in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, the company’s site ambition is to mass produce stem cells and reduce the cost of stem cell production, thereby making these innovative and costly therapeutic solutions available to a larger population.

“We are thrilled and proud to receive this prize, honoring years of work. We are committed to developing solutions and transforming the international market,” explained Kevin Alessandri, General Director of Treefrog Therapeutics.

In partnership with the most prestigious global hospitals: Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Dana Farber Cancer Institute

To learn more: https://treefrog.fr/

BEST COLLABORATION IN THE MEDTECH OR DIGITAL HEALTH SECTOR

Wandercraft is a French deep tech company developing exoskeletal robots that allow paraplegic patients to walk again. This prototype evolved into Atalante, the first CE marked, commercially available exoskeleton in 2019. Atalante is now used in a growing number of European rehabilitation hospitals and helps stroke and EML patients learn to walk again.

With its Atalante exoskeleton, being mainly used in rehabilitation centers, Wandercraft aims to democratize the exoskeleton to the general public. The company was founded in 2012 by Matthieu Masselin, Nicolas Simon and Alexandre Boulanger. In 2017, clinical trials were conducted with the first prototypes of the exoskeleton, demonstrating that patients could walk hands free without crutches.

In 2019, the company announced that it is working towards launching its products in the United States in 2021 and participating in the Cybathlon, the Robotics Olympics, in November 2020. Submission to the FDA is scheduled for 2021.

“We are delighted to have received the Galien Medstartsp Prize for best collaboration in Medtech, aligned with our ambition to offer the best therapeutic solutions to both patients and their therapists, and we have made Wandercraft a unique business,” explained Mathieu Masselin, CEO of Wandercraft.

In partnership with the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

To learn more: https://www.wandercraft.eu/

BEST COLLABORATION DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPING OR UNDERSERVICED POPULATIONS WORLDWIDE

Created in 2018 in Saint-Cannat, near Aix-en-Provence by Claude Cohen-Bacrie, E-Scopics has developed a new generation of ultrasound scanners in the age of dematerialization and the cloud. This real-time, non-invasive imaging method is no longer confined to the world of radiology, cardiologists and obstetricians. It is becoming mobile and accessible to all healthcare professionals, enabling them to move from a diagnostic problem to one that is more upstream of screening, or downstream, to therapy and its follow-up.

“In a sense, this award represents a new affirmation to promote research into new digital solutions to meet the new expectations of healthcare professionals, as well as today and tomorrow’s patients. With the health crisis we are currently living, this new technology will enable the development of inclusive medical solutions that are accessible to all,” explained Claude Cohen-Bacrie, creator of E-Scopics.

The startup has already been awarded several prizes including the Ilab 2018 competition, the Innov’inMed Accelerate Award, accompanied by the French Tech grant, the Impulse incubator and the Provencal seed device from Pays d’Aix Développement. The pharmaceutical company Gilead has already invested €1.5 million in the seeding of e-Scopics. As early as 2021, the “as a service” ultrasound could be coming out of radiology offices and into clinicians’ offices.

In partnership with The North Carolina State University

To learn more: https://www.e-scopics.com/

For further information about the Award: https://www.galienfoundation.org/index.php/2017/11/16/medstartup-award-2/

French Healthcare is an innovative initiative aimed at bringing together French businesses, researchers and healthcare professionals to jointly promote their activities, expertise and technologies internationally. Business France, the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy, in partnership with the French Healthcare Association and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, is responsible for promoting the brand, which aims to coordinate a team approach to stimulate international cooperation and the influence of France’s key strengths.

Choose France is a registered trademark of the French government that promotes France’s economic attractiveness internationally.

Business France is the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy, responsible for fostering export growth by French businesses, as well as promoting and facilitating international investment in France. It promotes France’s companies, business image and nationwide attractiveness as an investment location, and also runs the VIE international internship program.

Business France has 1,500 personnel, both in France and in 55 countries throughout the world, who work with a network of partners.Since January 2019, as part of the reform of the state support system for exports, Business France has given private partners responsibility for supporting French SMEs and mid-size companies in the following markets: Belgium, Hungary, Morocco, Norway, the Philippines and Singapore.

For further information, please visit: www.businessfrance.fr @businessfrance

Business France

77, boulevard Saint-Jacques 75680 Paris Cedex 14

Tel.: +33 1 40 73 30 00

The Galien Foundation fosters, recognizes and rewards excellence in scientific innovation that improves the state of human health. Its mission is to serve as a vehicle for the open exchange of ideas that drive science and new innovations. Its vision is to catalyze the development of the next generation of innovative treatment and technologies that will improve health and save lives. Its scope is global, and their commitment to progress in medicine is both measurable and concrete. Its members express this through the establishment of productive relationships to build lasting bridges between the commercial research enterprise and local communities engaged in public policy, science, finance, academic research and the media. The Foundation oversees and directs activities in the USA for the Prix Galien, an international award that recognizes outstanding achievements in improving the global human condition through the development of innovative therapies. The Prix Galien was created in France in 1970 in honor of Claude Galien, the father of medical science and modern pharmacology. Worldwide, the Prix Galien is regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in biopharmaceutical and medical technology research.

For more information: www.galienfoundation.org

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