Biocodex
Biocodex is a family-owned French pharmaceutical company founded in 1953, specializing in microbiota care (Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 probiotic), women's health brands, and rare disease orphan drugs (Diacomit). Operating 17 subsidiaries and 100+ distribution partners, it serves patients in 100+ countries with €677M revenue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersSan Bruno, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Biocodex does
Biocodex is a family-owned French pharmaceutical company founded in 1953 to commercialize the world's first probiotic yeast strain, Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745, which has since treated approximately 460 million patients and is supported by over 100 clinical studies. The company operates across three therapeutic verticals: microbiota care (S. boulardii probiotic drugs, Symbiosys food supplements), women's health (Saforelle, Mucogyne, Gestarelle, Physioflor brands serving all life stages), and rare/orphan diseases (Diacomit/stiripentol for Dravet syndrome and Kigabeq/vigabatrin for West syndrome). It also runs a biotech investment program with minority stakes in six microbiome-focused companies (MaaT Pharma, Exeliom Biosciences, MRM Health, GMT Science, Kinnov Therapeutics, My Health).
The company's technology base centers on proprietary microbial strains (S. boulardii CNCM I-745 deposited at Institut Pasteur in 1989, patented Lactobacillus crispatus strain) and lyophilization manufacturing expertise, anchored at three GMP-certified production sites in Beauvais and Clermont-Ferrand (France) and Casablanca (Morocco). The Beauvais facility houses one of the pharmaceutical industry's largest lyophilization platforms, two 15,000-liter bioreactors, and a 6,000 m² logistics hub shipping 100 million boxes annually at 96% on-time delivery. R&D is concentrated at an integrated Compiègne center with chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology and clinical research departments, supplemented by long-standing academic partnerships with INRA, INSERM, and CNRS.
Biocodex generates revenue primarily through prescription pharmaceuticals (Diacomit orphan drug distributed in 55+ countries), OTC probiotic drugs and food supplements, and consumer health products (dermocosmetics, medical devices). Distribution runs through 17 wholly-owned subsidiaries and 100+ distribution partners serving 100+ countries via pharmacies, hospitals, and specialty pharmacy channels. The company employs approximately 1,900 people across 38-40 nationalities, generated €677 million in 2025 revenue, and is governed by seven family board members plus two independent directors; Jean-Marie Lefèvre is Chairman and Nicolas Coudurier is CEO.
Biocodex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Biocodex
- Legal name
- Biocodex SAS
- Website
- https://biocodex.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Biocodex is a family-owned French pharmaceutical company founded in 1953, specializing in microbiota care (Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 probiotic), women's health brands, and rare disease orphan drugs (Diacomit). Operating 17 subsidiaries and 100+ distribution partners, it serves patients in 100+ countries with €677M revenue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Biocodex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Pharmaceuticals — Microbiota, Women's Health, and Orphan Diseases
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microbiome Manufacturing, Formulation & Delivery Technologies (encapsulation, spores, oral delivery) (HLAAAFAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Probiotics & Digestive Health Supplements (CRADAGAF), Bio-based Pharmaceuticals, Nutraceuticals & Specialty Bioactives (EUAAAIAK)
Keywords
Where Biocodex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Bruno
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices17 records
Markets served
Biocodex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Prescription pharmaceuticals (Orphan drugs): Diacomit (stiripentol) for Dravet syndrome and Kigabeq (vigabatrin) for West syndrome sold via prescription through pharmacies and hospitals.
- Prescription pharmaceuticals (General): Prescription medications sold through pharmacies and healthcare providers.
- Over-the-counter (OTC) products: OTC probiotic drug Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 and related products sold directly through pharmacies.
- Food supplements: Symbiosys product range and other food supplements sold through pharmacies and retail.
- Medical devices and dermocosmetics: Women's health products including Saforelle, Mucogyne, Gestarelle, Physioflor brands.
- Licensing and distribution partnerships: Revenue from licensing agreements such as Diacomit distribution in Middle East markets via taiba Middle East.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Revenue 2025: €677 million |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Biocodex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Biocodex develops, manufactures, and distributes specialty pharmaceutical products across three franchises: microbiota care (anchored by the Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 probiotic yeast), women's health (intimate hygiene, pregnancy, and menopause brands), and orphan/rare diseases (Diacomit for Dravet syndrome, Kigabeq for West syndrome). The portfolio is sold as prescription drugs, OTC products, food supplements, medical devices, and dermocosmetics through its own subsidiaries, distribution partners, and pharmacy/hospital channels in 100+ countries.
Product overview
Biocodex is a family-owned pharmaceutical company offering a broad portfolio of healthcare products across three core areas: microbiota care, women's health, and orphan diseases. The company's flagship product is Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745®, the world's first probiotic yeast strain and leading probiotic drug worldwide. In orphan diseases, Diacomit® (stiripentol) for Dravet Syndrome and Kigabeq® (vigabatrin) for West Syndrome are key offerings. Women's health is served through brands including Saforelle®, Mucogyne®, Gestarelle®, and Physioflor®, covering intimate health across all life stages. Biocodex also offers food supplements under the Symbiosys® line and invests in microbiome-focused biotech companies including MaaT Pharma, Exeliom Biosciences, GMT Science, Kinnov Therapeutics, My Health, and MRM Health. The company operates 3 manufacturing facilities in France and Morocco and serves patients in more than 100 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Saforelle: Women's intimate health products including intimate cleanser and care solutions.
- Mucogyne
- Gestarelle
- Physioflor
- Symbiosys
- DIACOMIT
- Kigabeq
- Difrarel
- Ultra Levure
- Biocodex Microbiota Institute
- Biocodex Microbiota Foundation
Products and services
- Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745® World's first probiotic yeast strain registered for human medicine. Marketed as a prescription and OTC probiotic drug for gastrointestinal disorders including antibiotic-associated diarrhea, infectious diarrhea, traveler's diarrhea, and C. difficile prevention. Supported by 100+ scientific studies and used by 460 million patients since launch.
- Diacomit® (stiripentol) Anti-epileptic orphan drug indicated for Dravet Syndrome (severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy) in conjunction with clobazam and valproate. Distributed in 55+ countries with over 51,000 patient-years of therapy supported.
- Kigabeq® (vigabatrin) Anti-epileptic drug for West Syndrome (severe infantile epileptic disorder) distributed by Biocodex under exclusive European rights from Orphelia Pharma.
- Saforelle® Women's intimate health brand offering intimate hygiene and care solutions, including the Saforelle Essential eco-designed intimate cleanser with refillable stick that reduces carbon footprint by 80%.
- Mucogyne® Women's health product line supporting women through various life stages including intimate life, menstrual cycles, pregnancy and motherhood, and menopause.
- Gestarelle® Women's health supplement brand providing nutritional and health solutions for expectant mothers during pregnancy and motherhood.
- Physioflor® Women's health product line supporting intimate health and vaginal microbiota balance throughout all life stages, leveraging Biocodex's proprietary Lactobacillus crispatus strain.
- Symbiosys® Innovative range of probiotic food supplements developed by Biocodex for microbiota care, providing solutions to protect, restore and reinforce gut microbiome action.
- Difrarel® Pharmaceutical range containing Catocyanic Complex, an extract of wild bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus) manufactured at the Ferlux plant near Clermont-Ferrand, France.
- Ultra Levure® Probiotic supplement product based on Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 marketed in selected markets as an OTC probiotic.
- Hilma US-based natural remedies brand offering digestive health and women's health products, distributed through US retail and e-commerce channels following Biocodex's 2022 majority acquisition.
Quantifiable outcome
- 460 million people treated with Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 since launch
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Biocodex
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Biocodex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
Biocodex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- THX Pharma (Theranexus)coreStrategic licensing agreement worth up to €173 million for development and commercialization of Batten-1 (juvenile Batten disease, worldwide rights) and TX01 (Gaucher and Niemann-Pick type C diseases, US and Canada rights). Includes €12 million upfront payment, milestone payments, and tiered double-digit royalties. Biocodex handles compassionate use, market access, and commercialization.
- MRM HealthcoreBiocodex invested up to €30 million in partnership with MRM Health, a Belgian biotech specializing in microbial therapies. MRM Health develops microbiome-based Live Biotherapeutic Products for chronic inflammatory diseases using CORAL platform.
- taiba Middle East FZ LLCminorExclusive licensing agreement for Diacomit (stiripentol) distribution in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar markets.
- Femtech FranceminorBiocodex partnered with Femtech France (world's 3rd largest collective) to strengthen commitment to women's well-being and inclusion.
- HilmaminorBiocodex acquired majority stake in Hilma, a US-based natural remedies start-up founded in January 2020. Strategic move to strengthen position in digestive health and women's health markets in the US.
- Orphelia PharmacoreBiocodex received exclusive rights to distribute Kigabeq (vigabatrin) in most European countries on behalf of Orphelia Pharma. Kigabeq is an anti-epileptic drug for West Syndrome.
- Academic partners (INRA, INSERM, CNRS)coreLong-established partnerships with eminent French academic teams from INRA, INSERM, and CNRS. Collaborations also with physicians and scientists from Canada, Ecuador, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Russia, Thailand, and the United States.
- Beyond Batten Disease FoundationcorePartnership with patient-founded non-profit dedicated to eradicating juvenile Batten disease. Joint commitment to CLN3 Batten community alongside THX Pharma.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Biocodex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ferring Pharmaceuticals: Swiss family-owned specialty pharma with strong focus on gastroenterology, microbiome, and reproductive health — directly comparable to Biocodex's microbiota, women's health, and orphan drug franchises, and similarly privately held with global commercialization.
- Servier: French family-owned (Fondation Servier) independent pharmaceutical group with similar ownership structure, broad prescription and consumer health portfolio, and global manufacturing footprint — the closest analog in business model and governance.
- Ipsen: French specialty pharma with a focus on rare diseases and consumer healthcare, competing directly in European orphan drug and women's health categories alongside Biocodex's Diacomit franchise.
- Mayoly Spindler: Independently owned French family pharma with gastroenterology and consumer health portfolio — a smaller but structurally identical peer to Biocodex, sharing French independent ownership and probiotic/digestive health positioning.
- Lallemand Health Solutions: Canadian-based probiotic and yeast manufacturer with a comparable focus on Saccharomyces boulardii probiotic yeast, microbial formulation and delivery technologies — a direct head-to-head competitor in pharmaceutical-grade probiotic ingredients.
- Recordati: Italian specialty pharma with a strong rare disease franchise and global commercial footprint — directly comparable to Biocodex's Diacomit orphan drug business and the THX Pharma-licensed rare disease pipeline expansion.
Broad incumbents
- Chr. Hansen (now Novonesis): Global leader in microbial and fermentation-based solutions including probiotic strains; while much larger and primarily an ingredients supplier, it competes with Biocodex in probiotic manufacturing, formulation and microbiome R&D capabilities.
- Nestlé Health Science: Global nutrition and consumer health giant with a significant microbiome therapeutics and probiotics business, including investments in microbiome companies — competes with Biocodex across consumer health, OTC probiotics, and food supplements.
Emerging players
- MaaT Pharma: French clinical-stage biotech developing microbiome-based therapeutics for oncology and GvHD, in which Biocodex holds a minority stake — comparable technology category and overlap on the gutPrint AI platform, with a more focused pipeline-stage profile.
Regional players
- Virbac: French independent animal health pharma whose CFO (Habib Ramdani) sits on Biocodex's Board as an independent member — comparable French independent pharma culture, though operating in animal rather than human health markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Biocodex social profiles
Digital presenceBiocodex compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Biocodex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Biocodex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
Biocodex subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries23 records
Biocodex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Biocodex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments7 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Biocodex
What does Biocodex do?
Biocodex develops, manufactures, and distributes specialty pharmaceutical products across three franchises: microbiota care (anchored by the Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 probiotic yeast), women's health (intimate hygiene, pregnancy, and menopause brands), and orphan/rare diseases (Diacomit for Dravet syndrome, Kigabeq for West syndrome). The portfolio is sold as prescription drugs, OTC products, food supplements, medical devices, and dermocosmetics through its own subsidiaries, distribution partners, and pharmacy/hospital channels in 100+ countries.
Is Biocodex a public or private company?
Biocodex is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Biocodex founded?
Biocodex was founded in 1953. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Biocodex based?
Biocodex is headquartered in San Bruno, United States, in the North America region.
How does Biocodex make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Prescription pharmaceuticals (Orphan drugs) is the primary driver. The others are prescription pharmaceuticals (General), over-the-counter (OTC) products, food supplements, medical devices and dermocosmetics and licensing and distribution partnerships.
Who are Biocodex's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Servier, Ipsen, Mayoly Spindler, Lallemand Health Solutions and Recordati. Broad incumbents are Chr. Hansen (now Novonesis) and Nestlé Health Science. MaaT Pharma is listed as an emerging player. Virbac is listed as a regional player.
Does Biocodex have an API?
No public API is recorded for Biocodex.
What industry is Biocodex in?
Biocodex's product category is Specialty Pharmaceuticals — Microbiota, Women's Health, and Orphan Diseases. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAFAJ, Microbiome Manufacturing, Formulation & Delivery Technologies (encapsulation, spores, oral delivery), with a secondary code of CRADAGAF, Probiotics & Digestive Health Supplements. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2834.