What Innothera does

Innothera is a French family-owned healthcare company founded in 1913 and led by third-generation CEO Arnaud Gobet (in role since 1986). The group operates three business branches: Laboratoires Innothera (medical compression devices and connected health textiles such as the Varisma, Legger, Actys, and Smartleg brands), Laboratoire Innotech International (pharmaceutical products for daily pathologies distributed internationally in 100+ countries), and Cleanis (hygiene and protection products including CareBag, Aqua, and GelMax). In 2020 Innothera acquired Gibaud from the Icelandic group Össur, adding orthopedics, podology, and additional compression capacity and bringing group revenue to 241 million euros.

The group manufactures 100% in France across four factories: Chouzy-sur-Cisse (pharmaceuticals, since 1973), Nomexy in the Vosges (medical devices and intelligent textiles, since 1999), Saint-Étienne and Trévoux (Gibaud operations). Product technology centers on elastic venous compression (EVC) at clinically graded compression classes 1-3, plus connected health textiles integrating sensors and connectivity through the BioSerenity partnership. R&D intensity runs at 7.1% of revenue, with 37 patents filed by Gibaud since 2001.

Distribution follows a hybrid go-to-market: in France, 80 sales representatives cover pharmacies and healthcare professionals across seven regions; internationally, wholly-owned subsidiaries (INNOTECH OOO in Russia, INNOTHERA Baltics in Latvia, Cleanis Inc. in USA, Japan presence) plus regional distributor networks span 100+ countries. Revenue is B2B across pharmaceutical wholesalers, hospital groups, pharmacies, and healthcare professional channels. Key certifications include Origine France Garantie, Oeko Tex, Vosges Terre Textile, and CVE Premium. AI capabilities are partnership-mediated, primarily through TheraPanacea (data processing) and BioSerenity (connected devices in cardiology, neurology, sleep disorders).

Name

Innothera

Legal name

INNOTHERA

Website

https://innothera.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Innothera is a French family-owned healthcare company (founded 1913) that develops, manufactures in France, and distributes globally pharmaceutical products, medical compression devices, and connected health textiles for venous disease, hygiene, and orthopedics across 100+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Manufacturing

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113), Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842), Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Man Made Fiber & Silk (2221)

akta.pro primary industry

Compression Therapy & Lymphedema DME (Garments, Pneumatic Pumps) (HLAHAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Women’s Health (OTC Gynecologic) (HLAIADAJ), Incontinence & Urological Supplies (Catheters, Briefs, Ostomy Supplies) (HSABAKAH), Fill-Finish & Aseptic Drug Product Manufacturing (Biologics/ATMP) (HLAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Medical compression devices
• Hospital hygiene products
• Orthopedic medical devices
• Connected health textiles

Headquarters

HQ city

Arcueil

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Medications (Laboratoire INNOTECH International): Pharmaceutical products for daily pathologies including gynecological conditions, venous insufficiency, anemia, and mineral deficiencies. Distributed internationally in over 100 countries through subsidiaries and agents. 2020 revenue: 114 million euros.
2. Medical Compression Textiles (Laboratoires INNOTHERA): Elastic venous compression products including compression stockings, socks, and medical garments. Targets the French market primarily. 2020 revenue: 55 million euros.
3. Hygiene and Protection Products (Cleanis): Hygiene and protection products including CareBag absorbent hygiene bags for patient care, Aqua no-rinse washing products, and GelMax superabsorbent products. 100% subsidiary of INNOTHERA since 2016. 2020 revenue: 29 million euros. Exports primarily to USA and Japan.
4. Medical Devices and Orthopedics (Gibaud): Elastic venous compression and orthopedics products. Acquired by INNOTHERA in 2020 from Icelandic group Össur. Gibaud has been a pioneer in orthopedics and podology since 1890. 2020 revenue: 43 million euros.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Innothera develops, manufactures, and distributes pharmaceutical medications, medical compression devices (stockings, socks, tights) for venous disease treatment, and hospital hygiene products. The group operates three main branches: Laboratoires INNOTHERA (medical compression textiles and connected health devices), Laboratoire INNOTECH International (medications for daily pathologies and international distribution in 100+ countries), and Cleanis (hygiene and protection products). It also owns the Gibaud brand for orthopedic and podology products, acquired in 2020.

Product overview

INNOTHERA is a pharmaceutical and medical device company organized into three main branches: Laboratoires INNOTHERA (medical compression and connected health textiles), Laboratoire INNOTECH International (medications and international distribution), and Cleanis (hygiene and protection products). The product portfolio centers on compression medical textiles including Varisma®, Legger®, Actys®, and Smartleg® brands for venous disease treatment, plus connected textiles integrating IoT technology. Cleanis subsidiary offers CareBag®, Aqua, and GelMax for hygiene and infection prevention. In 2020, INNOTHERA acquired Gibaud® to strengthen its position in compression, orthopedics, and podology. The company develops and manufactures in France across four factories, serving over 100 countries internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Smartleg: Medical compression stockings - featured product that was selected for the Grande Exposition du Fabriqué en France at the Élysée Palace.
• Varisma
• Legger
• Actys
• CareBag
• Aqua
• GelMax
• Gibaud

Products and services

• Varisma Medical compression range for women including stockings, socks, and tights in classes 1, 2, and 3 for treatment of venous disease. Sold through pharmacies and prescribed by healthcare professionals.
• Varisma Douceur Premium medical compression line for women with chronic venous conditions. Designed for first-time prescription with ease of donning, comfort, dermatologically tested, and adapts to 98% of female morphologies. Certified CVE Premium and labelled Origine France Garantie.
• Legger Medical compression range for men including Classic, Fine, Surfine, and Zen variants. Includes socks and stockings in compression classes 2 and 3.
• Actys Medical compression range including Actys 20 Femme, Actys 20 Homme, ATH, Actys 25, and Actys 35. Stockings, socks, and tights for women in classes 2 and 3, socks for men in classes 2 and 3, and mixed anti-thrombosis socks in class 2.
• Smartleg Connected medical compression tights combining traditional medical textile expertise with innovative technology. Selected to represent the Vosges department at the Grande Exposition du Fabriqué en France at the Élysée Palace. Labelled Origine France Garantie, Vosges Terre Textile, and Oeko Tex.
• CareBag Innovative hygienic absorbent bags for secure collection, transport, and elimination of bodily fluids from bedridden patients, infected or not. Awarded the Gold Medal at the Concours Lépine. Commercialized through Cleanis subsidiary; contributes to prevention of nosocomial infections.
• Aqua No-rinse toileting product range including pre-impregnated gloves and lotions for bedridden patients. Provides optimal hygiene with easy-to-use products. Commercialized through Cleanis subsidiary.
• GelMax Superabsorbent products that improve daily health and comfort of patients. Commercialized through Cleanis subsidiary.
• Gibaud Acquired brand specializing in orthopedic, elastic venous compression, and podology products. Founded in 1890, includes products for compression venous elastic, orthopedics, and foot care. Has filed 37 patents since 2001. Operates from Saint-Étienne and Trévoux sites.
• INNOTECH International Pharmaceutical Products Pharmaceutical products for daily pathologies including gynecological conditions, venous insufficiency, anemia, mineral deficiencies, and infectious diseases. Manufactured at the Chouzy-sur-Cisse factory. Distributed internationally in over 100 countries through INNOTECH International subsidiary and distribution agents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 241 million euros revenue in 2020 including Gibaud acquisition
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gibaud (Acquisition)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020INNOTHERA completed acquisition of Gibaud from Icelandic group Össur in 2020. Gibaud is a pioneer in orthopedic and podology since 1890. Famous for flannel bandages during WWI and launched elastic venous compression activity in 1998. Acquisition creates a French champion in medical devices with positions in venous compression, orthopedics, and podology. Post-acquisition, group revenue reaches 250M€ with 110M€ in medical devices.
• TheraPanaceacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Innovation partnership with AI startup TheraPanacea (founded by Nikos Paragios, from Inria and CentraleSupélec research labs). Partnership to develop artificial intelligence technologies for data collection, processing, and exploitation in healthcare pathology treatment and prevention. Arnaud Gobet invested 3.5 million euros through THERINVEST family fund prior to this partnership.
• BioSerenitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2016R&D and industrial partnership signed June 30, 2016. INNOTHERA took an equity stake in BioSerenity. Joint development of Connected Medical Devices combining BioSerenity's research and innovation capabilities with INNOTHERA's textile medical device expertise. Focus on connected textiles in angiology and gynecology-obstetrics. Industrialization at INNOTHERA's Nomexy factory for cardiology, neurology, and sleep disorder devices. Project supported by FUI 20 (Fonds Unique Interministériel) and Bpifrance.
• Cleanis (Acquisition)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016INNOTHERA became the sole shareholder of Cleanis in May 2016. Arnaud Gobet serves as President. Cleanis specializes in medical devices and innovative hygiene products for hospitals, home care (M.A.D), and emergency services. Products include CareBag hygiene bags (gold medal at Lépine competition), Aqua no-rinse washing products, and GelMax superabsorbent products. Cleanis Inc. operates in USA and Japan.
• Pro France (Origine France Garantie)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2015Association promoting the Origine France Garantie (Origin France Guaranteed) label. INNOTHERA received official certification for compression textile brands manufactured in France.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Servier: Large French independent pharmaceutical laboratory with international distribution. Comparable as a French independent pharma mid-to-large cap with export-heavy international footprint via subsidiaries, similar to INNOTECH International's model.
• Össur: Icelandic global leader in prosthetics, orthotics, and compression therapy — the former parent of Gibaud (sold to INNOTHERA in 2020). Highly relevant as both a historical owner of one of INNOTHERA's subsidiaries and a broader orthopedics/compression incumbent.
• BSN medical (Essity): Now part of Essity, BSN medical offers JOBST compression therapy and a broader wound care, orthopedics, and hygiene portfolio. Overlaps with INNOTHERA's compression business (Jobst is a direct compression competitor) but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple healthcare categories.
• Hartmann Group: German medical and hygiene products group active in wound care, incontinence management, and infection prevention. Overlaps with Cleanis's hygiene and protection portfolio and with INNOTHERA's broader medical devices distribution.

Direct peers

• Convatec: UK-listed medical products company in ostomy, continence, advanced wound care, and infusion devices. Comparable to Cleanis's hygiene and absorbent product portfolio serving hospitals and home-care patients.
• medi GmbH & Co. KG: German medical device company specializing in compression therapy, orthopedic braces, and medical textiles. Competes head-to-head with INNOTHERA and Gibaud across European DME and pharmacy channels with similar class-based compression product lines.
• Thuasne: French family-owned medical device manufacturer focused on orthopedic supports, compression therapy, and podology. Closest French peer to INNOTHERA/Gibaud in terms of product mix (compression, orthopedics), channel (pharmacies), heritage, and family-owned mid-cap structure.
• Sigvaris Group: Swiss-headquartered global leader in medical compression therapy (stockings, socks, garments). Directly competes with INNOTHERA's Varisma, Legger, and Actys ranges across European pharmacies and clinical channels with comparable elastic venous compression technology.
• Coloplast: Danish medical device company focused on ostomy, continence, wound care, and urology. CareBag absorbent hygiene products compete with Coloplast's continence care portfolio in hospitals and home-care settings across Europe and the USA.
• Juzo: German manufacturer of medical compression stockings, orthopedic supports, and lymphedema garments. Directly overlaps with INNOTHERA's compression and orthopedic ranges and serves similar European clinical and pharmacy channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7N83TZMD_LLMHIkfLuJo-Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innothera

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 records

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 Innothera