What CERMEP does

CERMEP — Centre d'Étude et de Recherche Multimodal Et Pluridisciplinaire en imagerie du vivant — is a French publicly funded research support unit (Unité d'appui à la Recherche) labeled by CNRS as UAR 2053, by INSERM as US65, and supported by Lyon1 Université Claude Bernard and Hospices Civils de Lyon. Headquartered at the Groupement Hospitalier Est in Bron, France, the platform provides in vivo biomedical imaging services spanning preclinical (small and medium animal) and clinical research, anchored by a multimodal equipment fleet that includes PET (with combined PET/MRI and PET/CT scanners), MRI at 1.5T, 3T, and 7T (including a 7T microMRI), spectral photon-counting CT (SPCCT), magnetoencephalography (MEG) using OPM sensors, and functional ultrasound (fUS). The platform supplements imaging with on-site radiopharmaceutical production via cyclotron and radiochemistry laboratories, pharmacokinetic modeling, image data analysis, and a preclinical animal facility with a radiosurgical block.

The business model is publicly funded rather than commercial: revenue flows from institutional grants and contributions by CNRS, INSERM, Lyon1, and Hospices Civils de Lyon, supplemented by collaborative research agreements with pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry partners. Customer segments split between academic biomedical researchers (primary, preclinical and translational), clinical research teams (RIPH 1 & 2 interventional studies, GCP-trained personnel, ISO 9001-certified processes since 2007), and industry partners (drug development imaging, pharmacokinetic characterization, biomarker validation, clinical trial support). Go-to-market is enterprise field sales in nature — protocols are designed with researchers and validated by the platform's Comex committee before any imaging study is initiated.

CERMEP additionally functions as a biomedical validation hub for next-generation imaging prototypes, with active co-development engagements with Philips (SPCCT v2), MAG4HEALTH (OPM-MEG sensors), DAMAVAN Imaging (3D Compton camera prototype), and ICONEUS (functional ultrasound). The platform's competitive position rests on the unique convergence of regulated clinical-grade quality management (ISO 9001 since 2007), capital-intensive multimodal hardware unavailable at most European research sites, and structural embedding within one of Europe's densest hospital-university complexes.

Name

CERMEP

Legal name

CERMEP - Imagerie du Vivant (Centre d'Etude et de Recherche Multimodal Et Pluridisciplinaire en imagerie du vivant)

Website

https://cermep.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CERMEP is a French publicly funded multimodal biomedical imaging platform in Bron, serving academic and industrial researchers with PET, MRI, MEG, spectral CT, functional ultrasound, and on-site radiopharmaceutical production for preclinical and clinical studies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomedical Imaging Research Services

NAICS

Diagnostic Imaging Centers (621512), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Veterinary Services (54194), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Imaging & Cardiac Safety Core Labs (ECOG/EEG/ECG) (HLAGAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Neurodiagnostic Centers (EEG/EMG/NCS) (HLAFAKAK)

Keywords

• Biomedical imaging research
• Multimodal imaging platform
• PET radiopharmaceutical production
• Preclinical clinical imaging
• Translational imaging services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bron

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Services (Public Funding): CERMEP operates as a CNRS/INSERM research support unit (UAR 2053 / US65) funded by French public research institutions including CNRS, INSERM, Lyon1 Université Claude Bernard, and Hospices Civils de Lyon. Revenue derived from public research grants and institutional support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

CERMEP is a multimodal biomedical imaging platform providing preclinical and clinical in vivo imaging services. It combines PET, MRI (1.5T, 3T, 7T, micro-IRM), combined PET-MRI, PET/CT, spectral photon-counting CT, MEG, and functional ultrasound with on-site radiopharmaceutical production via cyclotron, pharmacokinetic modeling, and image data analysis. Services are delivered to academic researchers and industrial partners through validated protocols executed by specialized imaging teams.

Product overview

CERMEP is a unified multimodal biomedical imaging platform combining preclinical and clinical imaging services within a single hospital-university site. Its core offering integrates a suite of imaging modalities — PET molecular imaging, MRI (1.5T, 3T, 7T, and micro-IRM 7T), combined PET-MRI, PET/CT, spectral photon-counting CT (SPCCT), MEG, and functional ultrasound (fUS) — with on-site radiopharmaceutical production via cyclotron, pharmacokinetic modeling, and advanced image data analysis services. The platform also provides preclinical animal housing and a radiosurgical block, and serves as a biomedical validation hub for academic and industrial imaging prototype development. Services are delivered through specialized technical teams (MER, engineers, technicians) and support the full research pipeline from protocol design through data acquisition, analysis, and methodological innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PET Molecular Imaging (Imagerie moléculaire TEP) Positron emission tomography for functional imaging of radiopharmaceutical biodistribution as markers of biological processes. Available for preclinical and clinical research.
• MRI Imaging (Imagerie par Résonance Magnétique) Magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5T, 3T, and 7T field strengths, covering both preclinical (micro-IRM 7T) and clinical anatomical and functional imaging.
• Combined PET-MRI (TEP-IRM combinée) Combined PET-MRI scanner enabling simultaneous acquisition of molecular (PET) and anatomical/functional (MRI) data in a single imaging session for integrated research.
• PET/CT Imaging (TEP/CT) Combined PET/CT scanner merging molecular PET data with anatomical CT data for clinical and preclinical imaging research.
• Spectral Photon-Counting CT (SPCCT) Spectral CT scanner using photon-counting detector technology for anatomical and functional multispectral imaging.
• Magnetoencephalography (MEG) Functional imaging of cerebral magnetic field changes, including next-generation optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) sensors.
• Functional Ultrasound (fUS) High-resolution functional ultrasound imaging for preclinical studies utilizing ICONEUS technology.
• MicroPET/CT (MicroTEP/CT) Preclinical micro-PET/CT system for small animal (rodent) imaging combining molecular and anatomical imaging.
• MicroMRI 7T (MicroIRM 7T) 7 Tesla micro-MRI scanner for high-resolution preclinical anatomical and functional imaging of small animals.
• PET Radiopharmaceutical Production (Production de radiopharmaceutiques TEP) On-site production of PET radiopharmaceuticals using the cyclotron and radiosynthesis laboratories, including development of new radiotracers and labeling pathways.
• Pharmacokinetic Modeling (Modélisation pharmacocinétique) Pharmacokinetic modeling services using compartmental modeling with invasive input function and reference region methods, spanning preclinical animal studies through first-in-human clinical studies.
• Image Data Analysis (Analyse de données d'imagerie) Image data analysis services covering preprocessing, processing, and analysis of PET-MRI combined and MEG data, including custom tool and script development.
• Animal Facility and Preclinical Experimentation (Animalerie / Expérimentation animale) Preclinical animal experimentation and housing facilities for imaging studies across species including rodents, rabbits, pigs, and non-human primates.
• Radiosurgical Operating Block (Bloc radiochirurgical) Veterinary radiosurgical operating theatre for interventional radiology procedures in preclinical animal models.
• Imaging Prototype Validation (Prototypage de nouvelles modalités d'imagerie) Biomedical validation environment for academic and industrial imaging prototype development, including the Philips SPCCT v2, MAG4HEALTH OPM-MEG sensors, DAMAVAN Imaging 3D Compton camera, and ICONEUS functional ultrasound.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant and minor.

• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreOthersCERMEP is labeled by CNRS as UAR 2053 (Research Support Unit), receiving institutional recognition and support. CNRS is France's primary public research organization providing scientific oversight and funding.
• INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale)coreOthersCERMEP is labeled by INSERM as US65 (Service Unit), receiving institutional recognition and support. INSERM is France's national institute for medical research providing scientific oversight and funding.
• Lyon1 Université Claude BernardcoreOthersCERMEP is labeled by Lyon1 Université Claude Bernard as UAR 2053, receiving institutional support. The university provides academic affiliation and student/researcher access.
• Hospices Civils de LyoncoreOthersCERMEP is supported by Hospices Civils de Lyon and located within the Groupement Hospitalier Est hospital complex, enabling access to clinical environments and patient populations.
• Philips (Spectral Photon Counting CT)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Philips for the SPCCT (Spectral Photon Counting CT) scanner development and biomedical validation. The scanner has progressed to version 2 under this partnership.
• MAG4HEALTHsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with MAG4HEALTH for next-generation OPM (Optically Pumped Magnetometer) MEG sensors development and validation.
• DAMAVAN imagingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with DAMAVAN imaging for development and biomedical validation of 3D Compton camera prototype.
• ICONEUSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with ICONEUS for functional Ultrasound (fUS) technology development and validation.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Siemens Healthineers: Siemens Healthineers is a major medical imaging equipment vendor (MRI, PET, CT, molecular imaging) that sells into research imaging platforms and competes with Philips in CERMEP's hardware base — relevant as ecosystem participant rather than direct peer.
• Bruker BioSpin: Bruker BioSpin manufactures high-field MRI and PET systems used in preclinical imaging — comparable to CERMEP's 7T microMRI and PET instrumentation footprint, and an ecosystem participant as both vendor and adjacent research partner.
• Philips (Image Guided Therapy / Radiology): Philips is a CERMEP partner for the Spectral Photon Counting CT (SPCCT) and supplies clinical PET/CT and MRI systems used across imaging platforms — a key equipment vendor and co-development partner that determines part of CERMEP's technology roadmap.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Discovery: Eurofins Discovery offers broad preclinical and clinical research services including imaging-related assays — comparable to CERMEP at the level of scientific services for pharma/biotech, but operating commercially across many more modalities.
• ICON plc: ICON is a large global CRO whose Medical Imaging services division competes with CERMEP for pharma clinical-trial imaging work — overlapping capability but at much greater scale and across multiple modalities and geographies.
• Charles River Laboratories: Charles River provides preclinical imaging (microPET/CT, microMRI) and integrated drug discovery services — overlapping with CERMEP's preclinical animal imaging offering but as one part of a much broader discovery and development CRO portfolio.

Direct peers

• NeuroSpin (CEA): CEA's NeuroSpin is a French public research platform specializing in high-field MRI (including 7T and 11.7T systems) for neuroscience research — the closest French analogue to CERMEP, with overlapping translational MRI capability and similar public research institution structure.
• Invicro (a Calyx company): Invicro is a commercial CRO specializing in molecular imaging (PET and MRI) and central reading for clinical trials — directly comparable to CERMEP's clinical pharma contract work in neuroimaging and biomarker validation, though operating at commercial scale across multiple sites.
• Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (MGH/Harvard): The Martinos Center is a leading US academic multimodal imaging research center combining MRI, PET, MEG, and optical imaging for translational research — directly comparable to CERMEP's multimodal translational imaging mission and academic-research-platform structure.
• Imagine Institute (Institut Imagine): Imagine is a French pediatric genetic disease research institute with embedded imaging capabilities — comparable as a public research institution with translational imaging, although more disease-focused than CERMEP's platform-level orientation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cermep

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CERMEP