What Vetbiolix does

Vetbiolix SAS is a France-based veterinary biotechnology company (founded 2018, headquartered in Loos) that develops first-in-class oral small-molecule therapeutics for unmet needs in companion animal medicine. Its pipeline comprises three assets acquired through exclusive worldwide licensing agreements from human biotech originators: VBX-2000 (Piclidenoson, an A3 adenosine receptor agonist licensed from Can-Fite BioPharma, targeting cartilage degradation and inflammation in canine and feline osteoarthritis), VBX-1000 (MIV-701, a cathepsin-K inhibitor licensed from Medivir AB, promoting alveolar bone regeneration in canine and feline periodontitis), and VBX-3000 (RQ-10, a 5-HT4 receptor agonist licensed from RaQualia Pharma, addressing gastrointestinal motility disorders). All three programs have completed proof-of-concept clinical studies with positive results, and two (VBX-2000 and VBX-1000) are in randomized, placebo-controlled EU multicentric pilot studies expected to read out in Q3-Q4 2026.

The company operates a pure B2B licensing business model rather than direct commercialization. Vetbiolix advances drug candidates through clinical development, then out-licenses or co-develops products with global veterinary pharmaceutical companies (Top 50 Pharma Vet) for commercialization, generating revenue through upfront fees, development milestones, and royalties. Revenue also flows upstream to original human-biotech licensors (Can-Fite, Medivir, RaQualia) under the inbound licensing terms. To date the company has raised over €7 million across a €2.5M seed round in 2022 and a €4M Series A in December 2024, led by CapTech Santé with participation from Nord France Amorçage, BPI France, Tudigo, and management.

Vetbiolix is pre-commercial and pre-revenue, supported by a small core team (1-10 employees) led by co-founders Matthieu Roquette (President), Matthieu Dubruque (Managing Director), and Dr. Rémy Hanf (CSO), with Dr. Karine Bertrand serving as CPTO and Board Member. The company is incorporated in France, operates from the Eurasanté bioincubator in Loos (Lille Metropole), and has been awarded the DeepTech France 2030 and French Tech Seed Label certifications. Its targeted customer base for out-licensing is global veterinary pharmaceutical majors, with stated market approval targets of 2029 (VBX-2000) and 2030 (VBX-1000) in EU and US.

Name

Vetbiolix

Legal name

Vetbiolix SAS

Website

https://vetbiolix.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vetbiolix is a France-based veterinary biotech developing first-in-class oral small-molecule drugs for osteoarthritis, periodontitis, and gut motility disorders in dogs and cats, licensing assets from human biotech originators and advancing them through clinical trials for out-licensing to global veterinary pharmaceutical companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Pharmacy, Vaccine & Biologics Services (AFAEANAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Clinical Research, Trials & Translational Services (Veterinary Regenerative) (HLAMANAL)

Keywords

• Veterinary biotechnology
• Animal therapeutics
• Clinical drug development
• Veterinary pharmaceuticals
• Pet health treatments

Headquarters

HQ city

Loos

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Licensing and milestone payments: Revenue generation through out-licensing and co-development agreements with veterinary pharmaceutical industry. Under licensing agreements, Vetbiolix pays upfront, milestone, and royalty payments to original developers (Can-Fite, Medivir, RaQualia), and receives upfront, milestone, and royalty payments from sublicensing to veterinary pharma companies.
2. Co-development deals: Revenue from co-development agreements with veterinary pharmaceutical companies where products are developed jointly and profits or royalties are shared upon commercialization.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Vetbiolix is a clinical-stage veterinary biotech company that in-licenses first-in-class oral small molecule drug candidates from human biotech firms and develops them through proof-of-concept and regulatory pilot clinical studies for canine and feline applications. The company currently has three core drug candidates (VBX-2000, VBX-1000, VBX-3000) targeting osteoarthritis, periodontitis, and gut motility disorders, with the intent to out-license or co-develop these assets with major veterinary pharmaceutical companies for commercialization.

Product overview

Vetbiolix is a veterinary biotech company that has built an innovative clinical-stage pipeline of 3 First-in-class assets acquired through exclusive and worldwide licensing deals with human biotech companies. The portfolio includes VBX-2000 (Piclidenoson, an adenosine-A3 agonist for osteoarthritis), VBX-1000 (MIV-701, a cathepsin-K inhibitor for periodontitis), and VBX-3000 (RQ-10, a 5-HT4 agonist for gut motility disorders). Each core asset has multiple formulations for dogs and cats in various stages of clinical development, with 2 ongoing randomized placebo-controlled pilot studies and positive proof-of-concept results achieved for all three programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VBX-2000 (Piclidenoson) First-in-class oral small molecule Adenosine-A3 Receptor (A3AR) agonist for treating osteoarthritis in dogs and cats. Targets cartilage degradation, reduces inflammation by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines IL-17 and IL-23, and has disease-modifying properties. Positioned as the first oral DMOAD (disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug) for canine and feline use.
• VBX-1000 (MIV-701) First-in-class oral small molecule Cathepsin-K inhibitor for treating periodontitis in dogs and cats. Promotes alveolar bone reformation by inhibiting bone resorption and contributing to bone regeneration. The first therapeutic treatment available for canine/feline periodontal disease, addressing a condition affecting 60-97% of dogs where only surgical interventions previously existed.
• VBX-3000 (RQ-10) First-in-class, potent, highly selective, orally bioavailable 5-HT4 receptor agonist for treating gut motility disorders in dogs and cats. Pure prokinetic agent that stimulates acetylcholine release to promote smooth muscle contraction in the gastrointestinal wall, addressing gastroparesis in dogs and chronic constipation/megacolon in cats.

Quantifiable outcome

• VBX-2000 at 500 µg/kg bid: 73% (8/11) patients showed clinically significant improvement in LOAD mobility score (p=0.006); 91% (10/11) showed pain score improvement after 90 days
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

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.

• RaQualia PharmacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2023Option and license agreement for RQ-10/VBX-3000, a 5-HT4 agonist for gut motility disorders in dogs and cats. Exclusive worldwide, sublicensable license granted upon exercise of option. RaQualia eligible for milestone payments based on development progress and royalties on product sales. Vetbiolix exercised full license option in December 2024.
• Can-Fite BioPharmacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 June 2021Licensing agreement for Piclidenoson (VBX-2000), an A3 adenosine receptor agonist for canine and feline osteoarthritis. Deal potentially worth up to $325 million in upfront, milestone, and royalty payments. Vetbiolix holds exclusive worldwide license with option to obtain full license upon positive proof-of-concept results. Can-Fite entitled to upfront, milestone, and royalty payments upon successful development and commercialization.
• Medivir ABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensing agreement for MIV-701/VBX-1000, a cathepsin-K inhibitor for canine and feline periodontitis. Medivir retains royalty streams potentially approximating their market value years after launch. VBX-1000 also known as MIV-701 in Medivir's pipeline.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Anivive Lifesciences: US-based pet therapeutics biotech that in-licenses/derisk human drug candidates and develops them for companion animals (FDA-approved Laverdia-CA1/verdinexor for canine lymphoma). Closest direct model match to Vetbiolix's licensing-in-then-out-licensing approach, with multi-asset pipeline spanning oncology and chronic disease.
• Aratana Therapeutics: Historical pet therapeutics biotech that developed novel molecules (e.g., Galliprant/grapiprant for canine OA) for unmet veterinary indications and was acquired by Elanco in 2019. Same single-indication pet drug development + licensing/partner commercialization model that Vetbiolix is currently executing with VBX-2000.

Broad incumbents

• Zoetis: World's largest animal health company and most likely out-licensing partner / acquirer of Vetbiolix assets. Operates the dominant portfolio in companion-animal OA, dermatology, and parasiticides that Vetbiolix programs target - relevant as both a competitor and a potential channel to the vet channel.
• Elanco Animal Health: Major global animal health company with a strong pet therapeutics franchise after acquiring Aratana and Bayer Animal Health. Comparable to Zoetis as a Top 50 vet pharma Vetbiolix is targeting for licensing deals, with established OA and dermatology competitors.
• Virbac: French-headquartered global animal health company with deep veterinary pharma portfolio in companion-animal dermatology, dentistry, and OA. Same parent geography as Vetbiolix (France) and natural fit for VBX-1000 (periodontitis) given Virbac's existing dental franchise.
• Dechra Pharmaceuticals: Specialty animal health company (recently acquired by Freundenberg) focused on companion-animal endocrinology, dermatology, and pain management. Direct overlap with VBX-2000 (OA pain/inflammation) and VBX-3000 (gut motility) therapeutic areas.
• Vetoquinol: French-headquartered global animal health company with companion-animal focus across OA, dermatology, and gastroenterology. Same parent geography and therapeutic-area overlap as Vetbiolix, and a natural out-licensing partner candidate in Europe.
• Phibro Animal Health: Global animal health company with companion-animal nutritional specialty products and a growing portfolio in OA/dermatology. A plausible Top 50 vet pharma candidate for Vetbiolix out-licensing discussions.

Others

• Can-Fite BioPharma: Israeli clinical-stage human biotech that developed Piclidenoson (A3AR agonist) and is Vetbiolix's upstream licensor for VBX-2000. Comparable clinical-stage human biotech pursuing the same parent molecule - provides a reference asset-valuation benchmark for Vetbiolix's lead program.

Regional players

• TVM (Théa Veterinary): European veterinary pharma subsidiary focused on ophthalmology and specialty therapeutics in companion animals. Comparable mid-size European specialty vet pharma, often used as a regional licensing partner for companies like Vetbiolix seeking EU-first commercialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vetbiolix

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors5 records

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 Vetbiolix