What Naobios does

Naobios is a France-based Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) headquartered in Saint-Herblain near Nantes, specializing in bioprocess development and GMP-compliant contract manufacturing of virus-based products for preclinical and clinical use. The company serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, and public health agencies worldwide, with a portfolio spanning viral vaccines (live and inactivated), viral vectors, oncolytic viruses, exosomes, and Human Viral Challenge Agents (HVCAs). Naobios operates as a subsidiary of the Clean Biologics group, alongside its sister company Clean Cells, which provides complementary in-process and release testing services.

The company's core technical platform encompasses upstream processing (USP) and downstream processing (DSP) for virus-based biologics, utilizing adherent cell-based processes (Vero, MRC5, BHK21, CEF with microcarriers, fixed bed reactors, roller bottles) and suspension cell lines (CAP, EB66, CHO). Manufacturing scales extend up to 200L in stirred tank reactors or 200m² in fixed bed bioreactors, and Naobios operates both BSL2 and BSL3 GMP suites, including a 110 sqm BSL3 facility designed per French decree and EU-GMP standards. The company has manufactured and released 36 GMP batches of HVCAs covering SARS-CoV-2, RSV, hMPV, and influenza, alongside 55+ GMP drug substance batches, and can deliver a drug product within 11 months using an in-house developed process. Regulatory credentials include ANSM pharmaceutical establishment licensing (authorization F19/219), EU-GMP certification, and authorization for GMO handling.

Naobios generates revenue through project-based B2B service contracts for bioprocess development, GMP manufacturing, quality control testing, and regulatory support, supplemented by grant funding from organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, depending on scope, scale, biosafety level, and regulatory requirements, and is not publicly disclosed. Business development is led by a dedicated manager conducting direct enterprise outreach, supported by content marketing (whitepapers, webinars), industry conference participation, and LinkedIn remarketing targeting pharmaceutical and biotech professionals globally.

Name

Naobios

Legal name

NAOBIOS

Website

https://naobios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Naobios is a France-based CDMO providing bioprocess development and GMP manufacturing services for virus-based products—including viral vaccines, viral vectors, oncolytic viruses, and human viral challenge agents—to pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, and public health clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Viral Biologics Contract Manufacturing (CDMO)

NAICS

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (32541), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Gene Therapy CDMO (Viral Vector Manufacturing) (HLAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Clinical Trial Material (CTM) Manufacturing & Supply CDMO (HLAGABAK), Gene Therapy Vector Manufacturing & CDMO Services (HLAAACAJ)

Keywords

• Viral vaccine manufacturing
• Bioprocess development services
• GMP contract manufacturing
• Viral vector production
• Oncolytic virus CDMO

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-herblain

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Contract Development and Manufacturing Services (CDMO): Naobios provides bioprocess development and GMP contract manufacturing services for preclinical and clinical batches of virus-based products (viral vaccines, viral vectors, oncolytic viruses, challenge agents). Revenue is generated through project-based contracts with pharmaceutical/biotech clients, academic institutions, and health agencies. The company handles process and analytical development, production of preclinical material, GMP manufacturing, QC release testing, and regulatory support under service agreements.
2. Grant Funding: Naobios receives grant funding from foundations (e.g., Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) to support vaccine development projects, specifically for manufacturing human viral challenge agents for CHIM studies and evaluating vaccine effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Naobios is a GMP-certified Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) providing bioprocess development and contract manufacturing services for virus-based products, including viral vaccines (live and inactivated), viral vectors, oncolytic viruses, exosomes, and Human Viral Challenge Agents. The company delivers end-to-end services spanning upstream and downstream bioprocess development, GMP manufacturing of preclinical and clinical batches, and quality control testing, with full BSL2 and BSL3 capabilities supporting manufacturing up to 200L stirred-tank or 200m² fixed-bed bioreactor scale.

Product overview

Naobios is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) providing a comprehensive suite of virus-based products and services. The product portfolio includes Live Viruses, Oncolytic Viruses, Exosomes, Inactivated Viruses, and Human Viral Challenge Agents. These products are supported by integrated services covering Bioprocess Development (USP/DSP), GMP Biomanufacturing (cell/virus banking, investigational product manufacturing, storage), Quality Control Testing, and BSL3 Capabilities. The company operates as a unified CDMO offering, enabling clients to progress from early development through clinical manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Drug product delivery in 11 months using in-house developed process
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SGScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Naobios and SGS partnered to manufacture a Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) challenge agent for Controlled Human Infection Model (CHIM) studies. Naobios is responsible for cGMP manufacturing of the Human Viral Challenge Agent (derived from a 2015 A-strain isolate), while SGS conducts the full clinical validation within CHIM settings, including study design, clinical execution, safety oversight, and virological assessments at its Clinical Pharmacology Unit in Antwerp, Belgium. In October 2025, 12 healthy participants were successfully inoculated demonstrating a 100% attack rate with mild, self-resolving pathology.
• Clean BiologicscoreOthers · 1 March 2019Naobios became a subsidiary of Clean Biologics group in March 2019. Clean Biologics is a European provider of services for the Life Science industry, formed in 2018 from the collaboration between Clean Cells and ArchiMed. Naobios operates as a CDMO alongside Clean Cells (sister company), which provides in-process and release testing services to Naobios. Additional functions including Purchase, Maintenance, Building work, and Qualification are supported by the holding company.
• Clean CellscoreOthersClean Cells is Naobios' sister company under the Clean Biologics group. Naobios works in close collaboration with Clean Cells for in-process and release testing services, complementing Naobios' own quality control capabilities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yposkesi: Yposkesi is a French viral vector CDMO specializing in GMP manufacturing of AAV and lentiviral vectors for gene and cell therapy. Closely comparable to Naobios as a European-based viral CDMO serving gene therapy and vaccine developers with similar scale and customer base.
• Vibalogics: Vibalogics is a German-based viral vector and viral vaccine CDMO offering process development and GMP manufacturing across multiple virus types. Directly comparable to Naobios in service scope (viral CDMO), BSL2/BSL3 capability mix, and target customer profile (biotech and pharma developing gene therapies and vaccines).
• Clean Cells: Clean Cells is Naobios's sister company within the Clean Biologics group, providing biosafety and quality testing services for biological products. Highly relevant as an operational partner with overlapping customer base, complementing Naobios's manufacturing services with release testing.

Broad incumbents

• Cobra Biologics (Charles River): Cobra Biologics (now part of Charles River Laboratories) provides viral vector and plasmid DNA CDMO services for gene therapy and vaccine developers. Directly comparable to Naobios in viral vector CDMO service model, though with broader integration into a larger CRO/CDMO platform.
• Catalent (Paragon Gene Therapy): Catalent (and its Paragon Gene Therapy unit) is a major CDMO offering viral vector and gene therapy development and manufacturing services. Comparable to Naobios in viral vector CDMO focus but with substantially larger commercial-scale capacity and global reach.
• Lonza Biologics: Lonza is one of the world's largest CDMOs with extensive viral vector and biologics manufacturing capabilities. Comparable to Naobios in offering viral and biologic process development/GMP manufacturing but at vastly greater scale, breadth, and global footprint.
• AGC Biologics: AGC Biologics is a large global CDMO offering viral vector, cell therapy, and biologics GMP manufacturing. Comparable to Naobios as a viral/biologics CDMO serving gene therapy and vaccine sponsors but operating at significantly larger scale with broader geographic reach.

Regional players

• Biological E Limited: Biological E is an Indian vaccine manufacturer that previously owned Naobios (operating it as BE Vaccines SAS until 2019). Comparable in viral vaccine manufacturing capability but serving different geographic markets (predominantly India and emerging markets) with much larger commercial-scale operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/naobios

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Naobios