Laboratoires KOL

What Laboratoires KOL does

Laboratoires KÔL is a French pharmaceutical startup (SAS) founded in October 2020 by Sophie Momège and headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The company is exclusively focused on rare and niche ophthalmology indications — specifically corneal diseases with high unmet medical need — and currently markets one launched product (OLISENS, for corneal neovascularization, granted MITM status) while CICLOGRAFT (ciclosporin 2% with miglyol, for prevention of corneal transplant rejection) holds the first-ever AAC/AAP early-access authorization for an ophthalmology eye drop in France, granted in November 2022. The third asset, Emixustat for Stargardt disease (STGD1), is supplied and licensed-in from Kubota Vision for compassionate-use distribution in France.

The business model is built around pharmaceutical product sales of proprietary specialty medications targeting rare corneal and ocular diseases, distributed primarily through French hospital pharmacies (PUI) under the ANSM-supervised AAC/AAP (compassionate use / early access) framework. Products are promoted via a national network of Medical Science Liaisons covering French regional territories, active participation in major ophthalmology congresses (SFO, ARVO, Eucornea, STO, etc.), and consultative relationships with hospital-based ophthalmologists and key opinion leaders. Revenue per patient/institution is negotiated rather than publicly disclosed. International expansion is in progress via dedicated export zone managers and distributor outreach in Tunisia and North Africa.

The company collaborates with development partners (ALEPT, Unither Pharmaceuticals, CSP) on CICLOGRAFT formulation, holds exclusive France distribution rights for Kubota Vision's Emixustat, and participates as an industrial partner in the Restore Vision European consortium targeting seven unmet needs in rare eye diseases. The firm is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds or institutional investors identified; ownership and operational control remain founder-led. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and headcount is small (approximately 20 named staff across scientific, regulatory, commercial, and operational functions).

Name

Laboratoires KOL

Legal name

SAS Laboratoires Kôl

Website

https://laboratoires-kol.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Laboratoires KÔL is a French pharmaceutical startup founded in 2020 that develops and commercializes niche ophthalmic drugs for rare corneal diseases, including OLISENS (corneal neovascularization) and CICLOGRAFT (corneal transplant rejection prevention), sold primarily to hospital ophthalmologists and hospital pharmacies under compassionate-use frameworks in France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Ophthalmic Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Ophthalmology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rare Ophthalmology Disorder Therapies (HLAIAIAK)

Keywords

• Ophthalmic pharmaceuticals
• Rare corneal diseases
• Corneal transplant medications
• Ciclosporin eye drops
• Compassionate use drugs

Headquarters

HQ city

Clermont-ferrand

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: Laboratoires KÔL develops and commercializes proprietary ophthalmic medications (OLISENS, CICLOGRAFT) targeting rare corneal diseases. Products are distributed through hospital pharmacies under compassionate use programs (AAC) in France and via international partners. Revenue is generated through product sales to healthcare institutions and pharmacies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Laboratoires KÔL develops, manufactures and commercializes niche ophthalmic pharmaceutical drugs for rare corneal diseases. Its product portfolio includes OLISENS (for corneal neovascularization) and CICLOGRAFT (ciclosporin 2% eye drops for corneal transplant rejection prevention), distributed via hospital pharmacies in France under compassionate use (AAC) and early access (AAP) authorizations, plus a compassionate use program for Emixustat (Stargardt disease) licensed from Kubota Vision.

Product overview

Laboratoires KOL is a French pharmaceutical startup dedicated to ophthalmology, specifically focusing on rare cornea diseases. The company operates as a single-brand pharmaceutical laboratory offering niche medications addressing unmet medical needs. The core product portfolio consists of OLISENS (for corneal neovascularization treatment), CICLOGRAFT (for corneal graft rejection prevention with ciclosporin), and pipeline products including Emixustat for Stargardt disease. Products are developed through compassionate use programs, early access authorizations (AAC/AAP), and traditional market authorization pathways. The company also provides pharmacovigilance services and partners with international pharmaceutical companies for distribution rights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OLISENS: Product for the treatment of corneal neovascularization (néovaisseaux de la cornée). First product launched by the company with MITM (Médicament d'Intérêt Thérapeutique Majeur) status.
• CICLOGRAFT

Products and services

• OLISENS Ophthalmic eye drop medication for the treatment of corneal neovascularization (neovaisseaux de la cornée). Launched in October 2020 with MITM status. Prescribed by hospital-based ophthalmologists for patients with rare corneal conditions.
• CICLOGRAFT Ciclosporin 2% ophthalmic solution formulated with miglyol for preventing corneal graft (transplant) rejection. Co-developed with ALEPT, Unither Pharmaceuticals and CSP. Nominated for Prix Galien 2021. Distributed via French hospital pharmacies under compassionate use / early access.
• Emixustat Compassionate Use Program (Stargardt Disease) Treatment candidate for Stargardt disease (STGD1), a rare hereditary retinal disorder, supplied under a licensing agreement with Kubota Vision Inc. and distributed exclusively in France by Laboratoires KÔL under compassionate use. No approved treatment currently exists for this indication.

Quantifiable outcome

• OLISENS launched with MITM status in October 2020 — first-in-class treatment for corneal neovascularization
• +3 more outcomes

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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Kubota Vision Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 4 May 2026Kubota Vision Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kubota Pharmaceutical Holdings, signed a Supply and Licensing Agreement with Laboratoires KÔL to provide Emixustat, a treatment candidate for Stargardt disease (STGD1), under compassionate use authorization in France. Kubota Vision exclusively manufactures and supplies the final product while Laboratoires KÔL holds exclusive distribution rights in France. Stargardt disease is a rare hereditary retinal disorder with no approved treatment currently available.
• Restore Vision ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2023Laboratoires KÔL participates as an industrial partner in the Restore Vision European consortium led by the University of Galway. The consortium aims to develop new treatments and repurposed drugs for 7 unmet medical needs in Rare Eye Diseases across Europe. Partners include: University of Galway (CURAM), Linköpings universitet, Opedale San Raffaele SRL, Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche, INSERM UMRS1138, Klinikum Der Universitaet zu Koeln, AniridiaEurope, Cell2CureAps, and Catalyze Group.
• ALEPTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALEPT is a development partner for CICLOGRAFT. KÔL acknowledged ALEPT alongside Unither Pharmaceuticals and CSP as partners with whom 'formidable development work was achieved' for the CICLOGRAFT innovation.
• Unither PharmaceuticalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnither Pharmaceuticals is a development and manufacturing partner for CICLOGRAFT, collaborating on the formulation and development of the ciclosporin 2% ophthalmic product. Co-developed with ALEPT and CSP.
• CSP (likely Contract Manufacturing Partner)supportingTechnology or IntegrationCSP is listed as a development partner for CICLOGRAFT alongside ALEPT and Unither Pharmaceuticals, contributing to the formulation development of the ciclosporin-based ophthalmic product.
• Réseau Entreprendre Auvergne (REA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSophie Momège signed a convention with Réseau Entreprendre Auvergne in October 2020 as a laureate entrepreneur. REA provides free, long-term human and financial support to new entrepreneurs through mentorship from active, experienced business leaders.
• Village By CA Centre FrancesupportingOthersLaboratoires KÔL was accepted into the first cohort of Village By CA Centre France, a startup accelerator program on 1,580 m² dedicated to business and innovation. The village provides networking (human, business, digital), mentorship, and custom support for startup development in the Auvergne region.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Laboratoires Théa: Privately held French-founded ophthalmology pharmaceutical company headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand. The closest direct competitor to KÔL — also a French ophthalmology specialty pharma with a strong portfolio of niche products and pan-European distribution, sharing the same geographic base and target prescribers (ophthalmologists and hospitals).
• Horus Pharma: Independent French specialty pharmaceutical company focused on ophthalmology, with a portfolio of eye drops and ocular surface treatments distributed through ophthalmologists and hospital pharmacies. Closely comparable business model and customer base to KÔL, both serving the French ocular therapeutics market with specialty products.
• Nicox: French ophthalmology specialty pharmaceutical company developing and licensing therapeutics targeting ophthalmic conditions. Comparable specialty-ophthalmology positioning, with similar focus on niche indications and partnerships; a useful public-market benchmark for KÔL's specialty pharma strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Alcon: Largest pure-play global ophthalmology company covering pharmaceuticals, surgical equipment, and vision care. Operates across the same ophthalmology therapeutic categories as KÔL; useful as a broad incumbent reference, though at a scale many orders of magnitude greater than KÔL.
• AbbVie (Allergan Aesthetics / Allergan Eye Care): Through the Allergan acquisition, AbbVie operates a major ophthalmology pharmaceutical portfolio covering dry eye, glaucoma, and retinal diseases. Functions as a broad incumbent in ophthalmology pharma; directly comparable therapeutic categories and prescriber relationships to KÔL.
• Bausch + Lomb (Bausch Health): Major global ophthalmology company offering pharmaceuticals, surgical devices, and consumer vision care. While much broader in scope than KÔL, it competes in the same ophthalmology pharma category and serves the same ophthalmologist prescriber base, with established reach into rare/ specialty indications.
• Santen Pharmaceutical: Established Japanese ophthalmology specialty pharmaceutical company with a broad portfolio across dry eye, glaucoma, and rare ocular conditions. Overlaps with KÔL in the niche ophthalmology pharmaceutical category but at significantly greater scale and global reach — useful benchmark for commercialization and pipeline expansion.
• Recordati Rare Diseases: Specialty pharma arm of Recordati Group dedicated to rare diseases, including orphan ophthalmology products distributed across Europe via hospital channels. Comparable specialty/rare-disease focus and hospital pharmacy GTM model — useful benchmark for European expansion strategy.

Emerging players

• ProQR Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing RNA-based therapies for rare genetic eye diseases such as Leber congenital amaurosis and Usher syndrome. Strongly comparable rare ophthalmology positioning and indication overlap with KÔL's Stargardt/corneal rare-disease focus.
• GenSight Biologics: Paris-listed clinical-stage biopharma developing gene therapies for rare retinal diseases including Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Highly comparable rare ophthalmology disease positioning with similar French-base and AAC-style regulatory pathways.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laboratoires-kol

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Laboratoires KOL