What Apteeus does

Apteeus is a clinical-stage biotech company headquartered on the campus of Institut Pasteur de Lille in France, founded in 2013 by Dr. Terence Beghyn (CEO) and Professor Benoit Deprez (Strategic Advisor), both pharmacists with doctoral training. The company specializes in drug repurposing for rare monogenic diseases, conducting collaborative research programs with patient associations, hospital reference centers (notably CHRU de Lille's Centre de Référence Maladies Héréditaires du Métabolisme), academic institutions, and EU-funded consortia to identify therapeutic candidates for conditions with unmet medical need, particularly inherited metabolic disorders.

Apteeus' proprietary platform integrates three branded components: Operando® (collection of cutaneous biopsies from patients to isolate disease-modeling primary cells), evidenceFactory® (miniaturized and automated high-throughput screening using cell imaging and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure causal defects of disease symptoms in vitro), and TEE Library® (a proprietary, daily-enriched collection of approximately 2,600 drug molecules approved for human use). The platform enables screening of approved compounds against patient-specific cells, with drug candidate identification reported in less than six months from project initiation. The pipeline includes named candidates such as TEE2555 (Zellweger Spectrum), TEE002 (dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa), TEE1482 (ceramidase deficiency), TEE886 (ACOX1 deficiency), and TEE1121 (D-bifunctional protein deficiency).

Apteeus operates a pre-commercial model without disclosed product pricing or licensing revenue. Activities are sustained through institutional grants, EU consortium participation (most notably the €8.8 million Horizon Europe grant for the SIMPATHIC consortium awarded in April 2023), and French government innovation awards (including the 2016 Concours Mondial de l'Innovation 2030). A wholly-owned subsidiary, APTEEA Therapeutics, is developing TEA001, an inhaled anti-infectious candidate. Several identified drug candidates have been administered through compassionate use pathways to pediatric patients, but no formal marketing authorizations have been disclosed and no equity financing rounds are recorded.

Name

Apteeus

Legal name

APTEΞUS SARL

Website

https://apteeus.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Apteeus is a Lille-based clinical-stage biotech that repurposes approved drugs for rare monogenic diseases using its Operando®, evidenceFactory®, and TEE Library® platform built on patient-derived primary cells. It partners with patient associations, hospital reference centers, and EU consortia to identify drug candidates within months.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drug Repurposing & Rare Disease Biotech

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

High-Throughput Screening & Assay Platforms (HTS/HCS, phenotypic screening) (HLAAAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Translational Medicine & Biomarkers (HLAIALAF), Bioanalytical & Biomarker CROs (PK/PD/Immunogenicity) (HLAGAAAD), Target Identification & Validation Platforms (omics-driven, chemoproteomics, genetic validation) (HLAAAIAI)

Keywords

• Drug repurposing services
• Rare disease therapeutics
• Patient-derived cell screening
• High-throughput drug screening
• Biotech research collaborations

Headquarters

HQ city

Lille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Collaborative Research Programs: Apteeus conducts research programs in collaboration with patient associations, doctors, and academic/industrial partners. The company aims to develop drug candidates until clinical efficacy is demonstrated, funded through institutional grants and consortium funding.
2. European Consortium Funding (SIMPATHIC): Apteeus participates in the SIMPATHIC consortium funded by Horizon Europe (8.8 million euros total), contributing expertise in individualized drug discovery for rare neurological disorders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Apteeus delivers customized drug repurposing and high-throughput screening programs for rare monogenic diseases, using patient-derived primary cells, automated cell imaging, and mass spectrometry to test a proprietary library of approximately 2,600 approved molecules and identify drug candidates in a few months. The company runs collaborative research with patient associations, hospital reference centers, and academic partners, and participates in EU-funded consortia (e.g., SIMPATHIC) to advance internal candidates toward clinical efficacy, while operating a wholly owned subsidiary (APTEEA Therapeutics) for an inhaled anti-infectious candidate.

Product overview

Apteeus operates as a drug repurposing biotech offering a unified platform of three proprietary technologies: Operando® (patient biopsy collection for cellular disease models), evidenceFactory® (automated high-throughput screening via cell imaging and mass spectrometry), and TEE Library® (proprietary collection of ~2600 approved human-use molecules). The company screens these molecules against patient-derived primary cells to identify drug candidates for rare monogenic diseases. Multiple drug candidates have emerged from this platform including TEE2555 (Zellweger Syndrome), TEE002 (Epidermolysis Bullosa), TEA001 via subsidiary APTEEA Therapeutics (anti-infectious), and several candidates for lysosomal storage disorders (TEE1482, TEE886, TEE1121). The company also participates in collaborative programs like SIMPATHIC and COVID drug repurposing initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Operando: Biomedical research program for collecting cutaneous biopsies from patients to isolate disease model cells.
• evidenceFactory
• TEE Library

Products and services

• Drug Repurposing Services Customized drug discovery programs that use patient-derived primary cells to identify existing approved drugs that can be repositioned for rare monogenic diseases with unmet medical need. Offered to patient associations, hospital reference centers, academic researchers and consortia; projects typically run on a multi-month basis and produce candidate molecules progressed toward compassionate use or clinical evaluation.
• Drug Screening Services High-throughput screening of thousands of molecules against patient-derived cellular models, using miniaturized and automated cell imaging and mass spectrometry readouts, to identify drug candidates and potential new therapeutic targets for rare disease programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Drug candidate identified in less than 6 months from project initiation (e.g., for Noé's D-Bifunctional Protein Deficiency)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SIMPATHIC ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023SIMPATHIC is a 22-partner international consortium funded by Horizon Europe (€8.8 million grant) to accelerate drug repurposing for rare neurological disorders. Led by Radboudumc and UMC Amsterdam, the consortium uses a new method to test existing medications on patient-derived cells (blood or skin samples). Apteeus contributes its drug discovery expertise and TEE Library® screening capabilities. The 5-year program began July 2023.
• Institut Pasteur de LillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApteeus is based on the campus of Institut Pasteur de Lille. Scientific Director Benoit Deprez leads the M2SV Unit 1177 at the institute. The institute provides laboratory facilities and research infrastructure. The CoViD project Therapide clinical trial is promoted by Institut Pasteur de Lille.
• M2SV Unit 1177 — Institut Pasteur de Lille / Inserm / Université de LillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch unit led by Professor Benoit Deprez, involved in COVID-19 drug repurposing project (Therapide clinical trial). Collaborates on antiviral screening using Apteeus' TEE Library®.
• CIIL UMR9017 — Institut Pasteur de Lille / Université de Lille / CNRS / Inserm / CHU de LillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch unit led by Professor Jean Dubuisson, partner in the CoViD drug repurposing project. Collaborates on understanding viral mechanisms and therapeutic applications.
• Radboudumc (Netherlands)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity medical center in the Netherlands leading the SIMPATHIC consortium. Peter-Bram 't Hoen serves as project leader/bioinformatician. Co-leading with UMC Amsterdam on drug repurposing for rare neurological disorders.
• UMC Amsterdam (Netherlands)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity medical center co-leading the SIMPATHIC consortium. Clara van Karnebeek serves as project leader/biochemist geneticist. Contributes clinical genetics expertise for rare neurological disorder research.
• CHRU de Lille — Centre de Référence Maladies Héréditaires du MétabolismecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReference center for hereditary metabolic diseases led by Dr. Dries Dobbelaere. Provides clinical oversight for compassionate use treatments identified by Apteeus, including for patients with ACOX1 deficiency, D-bifunctional protein deficiency, and SMA-PME/Farber disease. Part of MetabERN network.
• INSERMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench national institute for health and medical research. The drug discovery laboratory set up by Benoit Deprez at Institut Pasteur de Lille was labelled by INSERM. Multiple INSERM-affiliated research units collaborate with Apteeus.
• Université de LillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic university collaborating through shared research units (M2SV U1177, CIIL UMR9017) with Apteeus co-founders and team members.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Insitro: ML-enabled drug discovery company combining high-throughput biology with predictive models. Comparable in combining patient-derived biology with computational approaches, though at much larger scale and broader indication scope.
• Valo Health: AI-native drug discovery company with a focus on repurposing and developing therapeutics across multiple disease areas. Comparable technology-driven approach to drug identification, but at significantly greater scale.
• Schrödinger, Inc. Computational drug discovery platform combining physics-based simulation with machine learning. Comparable as an established drug repurposing/discovery technology provider serving pharma partners.
• Recursion Pharmaceuticals: Large AI-driven drug discovery company using high-throughput biology and machine learning to identify novel therapeutics. Comparable in high-throughput screening philosophy but operates at vastly larger scale and broader therapeutic scope.

Direct peers

• Every Cure: Non-profit organization developing an algorithmic platform to identify new uses for existing drugs across rare diseases. Comparable mission of repurposing approved drugs for neglected/rare conditions, though structured as a non-profit.
• Biovista: Pioneer in systematic drug repositioning with a focus on orphan and CNS indications. Comparable as one of the few pure-play drug repurposing companies with overlapping therapeutic areas in neurological rare diseases.
• Healx: AI-driven drug repurposing company focused specifically on rare diseases. Comparable to Apteeus in combining drug repurposing methodology with rare disease focus, though Healx uses in-silico prediction while Apteeus uses patient-derived cell screening.
• Pharnext: French biotech developing novel combinations of repositioned drugs for rare neurological diseases (Charcot-Marie-Tooth). Highly comparable in geography, repurposing strategy, and rare disease focus, with a more advanced commercial-stage asset.

Others

• Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV): Product Development Partnership focused on antimalarial drug discovery including repurposing approaches. Comparable as a multi-partner consortia model for neglected/rare disease drug development, with shared infrastructure and risk.
• Cures Within Reach: Non-profit focused on testing already-approved drugs for new indications. Comparable mission of drug repurposing for diseases with unmet need, especially rare conditions, but operates as a charity funding clinical trials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCil0njHJ6ja2S1wNDwQAmTA?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/APTEEUSBiotech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apteeus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Apteeus