What Physiogenex does

Physiogenex is a privately-held preclinical contract research organization (CRO) founded in 2003 by Thierry Sulpice (former Sanofi-Aventis scientist) and headquartered near Toulouse, France. The company specializes exclusively in metabolic disease drug development, providing in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro efficacy testing services to biopharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agrifood clients worldwide. Its core technology platform rests on 20+ years of proprietary animal model development (mouse, rat, and hamster models of obesity, type 2 diabetes, NASH/MASH, MetALD, fibrosis, diabetic nephropathy, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular complications), validated gold-standard and radio-tracer-based experimental methodologies (euglycemic clamps, 3H-glucose turnover, nuclear imaging), and an integrated technical platform spanning biochemistry, histology, molecular biology, and imaging.

The company operates from a 5,000m² purpose-built facility opened in July 2019 (1,010m² building with separated laboratories and SPF animal housing), is ISO 9001:2015 certified, and is wholly owned by founders with no external equity backing disclosed. It serves over 100 companies globally, generating project-based professional services revenue through direct B2B sales, scientific consulting engagements, and active presence at major scientific conferences (AASLD, ADA, ASN, Keystone, APASL, WCIRDC). The portfolio includes specialized GLP-1 expertise, a wholly-owned cardiovascular subsidiary (Cardiomedex), and recent product launches including an 8-day IgA nephropathy rat model (October 2024). Customer testimonials indicate a mix of enterprise pharma and mid-market biotech clients across the US, Europe, South America, and Asia-Pacific, with a reported 97.5% customer satisfaction rate in 2023.

Name

Physiogenex

Legal name

Physiogenex SAS

Website

https://physiogenex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Physiogenex is a France-based preclinical CRO specializing in metabolic disease drug development, providing proprietary in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro animal model services to over 100 biopharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agrifood companies worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Preclinical Contract Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

In Vivo Pharmacology (Efficacy/PD Models) (HLAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Preclinical CRO services
• Metabolic disease research
• Animal model development
• Drug efficacy testing
• In vivo pharmacology

Headquarters

HQ city

Escalquens

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Preclinical CRO Services: Core revenue stream from providing preclinical in vivo and ex vivo CRO services to biopharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agrifood companies. Services include efficacy studies, pharmacology studies, drug activity and mechanism of action studies, and evaluation of adverse effects across metabolic disorder indications. Revenue is project-based, typically structured as one-time study contracts with consulting add-ons.
2. CRO Consulting Services: Customized consulting services providing literature searches, data analysis, and drug development recommendations. Includes continuous interaction with client phone conferences, on-site face-to-face meetings, and complete consulting reports with scientific references. Offered as an add-on to CRO services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Physiogenex provides preclinical in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro contract research services for metabolic disorders using proprietary and gold-standard animal models (mouse, rat, hamster) covering obesity, type 2 diabetes, NASH/MASH, fibrosis, diabetic nephropathy, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular complications. The offering spans efficacy studies, gold-standard radio-tracer-based experiments, biochemical and histological analyses, biological sample supply, and expert consulting tailored to biopharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and agrifood clients.

Product overview

Physiogenex is a preclinical contract research organization (CRO) providing a unified portfolio of in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro drug efficacy testing services for metabolic disorders. The core offering is built around proprietary animal models (mouse, rat, and hamster) of obesity, type 2 diabetes, NASH/MASH, fibrosis, diabetic nephropathy, neuropathy, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular complications. These models are supported by integrated services including ex vivo metabolic assays (isolated adipocytes and muscle), biochemical and histology analysis, a biological samples library, and expert consulting. Therapeutic area services span NASH/MASH/MetALD, obesity/diabetes, diabetic nephropathy/CKD, dyslipidemia/atherosclerosis, fibrosis, immunometabolism, diabetic neuropathy, nutraceuticals, and COVID-19 metabolic comorbidities. The platform is augmented by specialized GLP-1 expertise and radio-tracer-based experiments for mechanistic studies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In vivo metabolic studies Preclinical in vivo studies using validated animal models to demonstrate drug efficacy in metabolic disorders, including glucose homeostasis tests (GTT, ITT, euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp), lipid metabolism studies, heart metabolism assessments, and in vivo lipogenesis measurements, offered to pharmaceutical, biotech, nutraceutical, and agrifood clients.
• Ex vivo metabolic assays Ex vivo screening assays using isolated muscles or adipocytes from in-house animal models, including lipolysis on isolated adipocytes, glucose uptake on isolated adipocytes, muscle glucose uptake, and muscle free fatty acid oxidation for medium-throughput screening.
• Biochemical assays and histology analysis Comprehensive biochemical assays (colorimetric, ELISA, multiplex, Western Blot) and histology analysis (H&E, Sirius Red, Masson Trichrome, ORO, PAS, immunohistochemistry, NAS scoring) for full characterization of drug candidates.
• Biological samples library Supply of frozen plasma/organ samples and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded liver and kidney samples from benchmarked mouse, rat, and hamster models for initial drug target validation.
• CRO consulting services Expert consulting services providing customized literature searches, analysis of available data on drug targets, and recommendations for successful drug development, with continuous interaction via phone conferences and face-to-face meetings.
• NASH/MASH/MetALD preclinical CRO services Preclinical CRO services for evaluating drugs targeting NASH/MASH and liver fibrosis, including in vitro hepatocyte models, rapid 1-8 week animal models, diet-induced obese NASH/MASH hamster models, and MetALD models with human-like lipoprotein profiles.
• Obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes preclinical CRO services Preclinical CRO services for obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes using nutritional and genetic animal models including diet-induced obese mouse, rat, and hamster models, ob/ob and db/db mice, Zucker diabetic fatty rats, and STZ-induced diabetes models.
• Diabetic nephropathy and CKD preclinical CRO services Preclinical CRO services for diabetic nephropathy and chronic kidney disease using db/db mouse on high protein diet and uni-nephrectomized/salt-supplemented SDT fatty rat models, with GFR measurement using Medibeacon devices.
• Dyslipidaemia and atherosclerosis preclinical CRO services Preclinical CRO services for dyslipidaemia and atherosclerosis using validated hamster and mouse models, including lipoprotein kinetics, macrophage-to-feces reverse cholesterol transport, and VCAM-1 nuclear imaging.
• GLP-1 expertise services Specialized GLP-1 and incretin therapy development services with over 15 years of experience, including acute effects testing, chronic weight loss studies, beta-cell preservation, NASH/MASH modulation, and diabetic nephropathy assessment using validated models.
• Diabetic neuropathy preclinical CRO services Preclinical CRO services for diabetic neuropathy using DIO-STZ mouse model developing diabetic nephropathy and neuropathy, with Von Frey mechanical sensitivity assays, gastric emptying assays, and GFR measurements.
• Fibrosis preclinical CRO services Preclinical CRO services for fibrosis targeting liver, kidney, and lung fibrosis using CCl4 mouse and rat models, thioacetamide rat model, UUO mouse model, and bleomycin-induced IPF DIO mouse model.
• Immunometabolism preclinical CRO services Preclinical CRO services evaluating drugs on immune system role in low-grade inflammation across metabolic tissues, using FACS analysis for innate and adaptive immune cell characterization, and DSS-induced colitis mouse model.
• Nutraceuticals preclinical studies Preclinical evaluation of nutraceuticals using benchmarked diet-induced obese mouse, rat, and hamster models, benchmarked with anti-obesity drugs and vegetal extracts, with optional gut microbiota analysis via Vaiomer partnership.
• COVID-19 CRO services Preclinical CRO services using free-choice diet-induced obese NASH/MASH hamster infected with SARS-CoV-2 as a metabolic comorbidities model of COVID-19, developed in collaboration with Institut Pasteur de Lille.
• In vitro and ex vivo assays In vitro and ex vivo services including lipolysis and glucose uptake on human and rodent adipocytes, glucose uptake on isolated muscle, HepaRG hepatocyte steatosis screening, and 3D NASH liver spheroid models for drug efficacy testing.
• IgA nephropathy (IgAN) rat model Novel rat model of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) for rapidly evaluating drug efficacy targeting IgAN in only 8 days. Readouts include Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), urine parameters (KIM-1, ACR), and kidney histology quantification (mesangial expansion, podocyte effacement) via Nipoka and Aiosyn partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97.5% customer satisfaction / success rate in 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core, core subsidiary, preferred vendor and minor.

• VaiomerstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Launch of the TRANSBIOTIC project: a 3-year collaborative research project supported by Région Occitanie to transplant mice with human fecal microbiome from patients with metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Vaiomer provides in-depth bacterial microbiome analysis through its expertise in blood and tissue microbiome exploration, while Physiogenex provides expertise in phenotyping animal models of metabolic diseases. The partnership addresses growing demand for microbiome-based animal models in drug development.
• Institut Pasteur de LillestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration with Institut Pasteur de Lille to develop a unique metabolic comorbidities COVID-19 model: the free-choice diet-induced obese NASH/MASH hamster infected with SARS-CoV-2. This model addresses the demonstrated link between obesity, type 2 diabetes, NASH, and severe COVID-19 outcomes in humans.
• CLEA Japan Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Strategic partnership since 2016 for the development and co-commercialization of the SDT fatty rat as a model of Type 2 diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy, and cardiometabolic complications. CLEA Japan Inc. produces SPF animals and provides CRO services to Physiogenex, with collaborative work presented at ASN Kidney Week, ISN, and ARVO conferences.
• Cardiomedexcore subsidiaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCardiomedex is a subsidiary company of Physiogenex sharing the same management and facilities near Toulouse. It specializes in cardiovascular diseases, onco-cardiology, and neurocardiology preclinical CRO services, evaluating cardiovascular effects of drug candidates including myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, hypertension, and cardiotoxicity. Cardiomedex services are integrated with Physiogenex's models to provide comprehensive cardiometabolic disorder evaluation. Co-developed innovative in vivo models of cardiometabolism with shared facilities.
• Janvier Grouppreferred vendorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJanvier Group is a major supplier of well-characterized in vitro, in vivo, and custom-created animal models to Physiogenex. With over 3500 clients worldwide and 600+ dedicated experts, Janvier Group provides validated animal models and related services that complement Physiogenex's service offering.
• Central Lab. Animal Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExpert supplier of experimental rodents providing best quality bioservices to researchers. Provides experimental rodent supply and bioservices to support Physiogenex's preclinical studies.
• Medibeaconpreferred vendorTechnology or IntegrationProvides FITC-sinistrin devices for non-invasive, repeated measurement of Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) in preclinical kidney function studies. Used in Physiogenex's diabetic nephropathy and CKD models for sensitive, less invasive kidney function tracking during drug treatment.
• Pr. Rémy Burcelin (INSERM/I2MC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChairman of Physiogenex's Scientific Advisory Board and founder. Research Director at INSERM (I2MC 1048) specializing in molecular bases of glycaemic control, insulin resistance, gut-brain axis, microbiota, and cardiometabolic diseases. Has published 120+ peer-reviewed papers and founded/contributed to 7 biotech companies. Provides scientific expertise and consulting for GLP-1/incretin therapies and metabolic disease drug development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gubra: Gubra is a Danish preclinical CRO specializing in metabolic diseases and fibro-inflammation with proprietary obesity, diabetes, and NASH/MASH models, closely paralleling Physiogenex's core offerings. Both companies serve biopharma clients with in vivo efficacy studies and are direct competitors in the metabolic CRO niche.
• Crown Bioscience: Crown Bioscience (JSR Life Sciences) is a global preclinical CRO with extensive oncology and metabolic disease models including obesity, diabetes, and NASH offerings. It is a direct competitor serving similar biopharma clients with in vivo efficacy testing in metabolic indications.

Broad incumbents

• Charles River Laboratories: Charles River Laboratories is a major global CRO offering comprehensive preclinical services including metabolic disease models, safety assessment, and discovery services. As a broad incumbent, it competes with Physiogenex for metabolic preclinical contracts while serving a much wider therapeutic portfolio.
• Labcorp Drug Development: Labcorp Drug Development (formerly Covance) provides extensive preclinical and clinical CRO services including metabolic disease capabilities. It is a broad incumbent offering one-stop-shop preclinical-to-clinical services that competes with Physiogenex for biopharma study contracts.
• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins Scientific is a large international group offering bioanalytical, preclinical, and CRO services through subsidiaries. Its central laboratory and preclinical divisions compete with Physiogenex in metabolic disease research support for global pharma clients.
• Inotiv: Inotiv is a US-based contract research organization providing preclinical research services and research models across multiple therapeutic areas including metabolic diseases. It serves as a broad incumbent competitor with model production and contract study capabilities.
• Wuxi AppTec: Wuxi AppTec is a leading global CRO/CDMO offering preclinical, clinical, and manufacturing services with extensive capabilities in metabolic and other therapeutic areas. As a broad incumbent with significant scale, it competes for large pharma preclinical contracts.

Emerging players

• Taconic Biosciences: Taconic Biosciences is a supplier of genetically engineered rodent models and related preclinical services for metabolic and other diseases. While primarily a model supplier, its service offering overlaps with Physiogenex's biological samples library and certain in vivo capabilities.

Regional players

• ChemPartner: ChemPartner (Shanghai) is a China-based preclinical CRO providing in vivo pharmacology services across metabolic, oncology, and CNS indications. It serves as an Asia-focused competitor for biopharma clients seeking metabolic disease preclinical studies.

Others

• Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company (SPARC): SPARC is an India-based pharmaceutical R&D organization with significant preclinical capabilities in metabolic and inflammatory diseases. While not a pure CRO, it occasionally partners with and competes against preclinical CROs for outsourced metabolic disease studies in Asia.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Cardiometabohub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/physiogenex

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Physiogenex