Enalees, a biotech company specializing in the design, production, and marketing of state-of-the-art rapid molecular diagnostic tests for the veterinary profession, recently opened its new proteomics development and production laboratory at the Genopole cluster site (Greater Paris region, France) for production of recombinant proteins and to strengthen R&D for its rapid diagnostic kits to support veterinary professionals.

The new production site forms part of Enalees' development plan; in October 2022 it received a €500,000 subsidy as part of the France 2030 Investments for the Future Program, allocated by the Ile-de-France region. Enalees designated around €300,000 of this budget to cutting-edge lab equipment. €105,000 was dedicated to building work, which was financed in part by SEM Genopole.

This unit will focus on the production of specific recombinant proteins used to detect new pathogens in animal infectious diseases. It will enable Enalees to broaden its focus to include other species in addition to dogs, cats and horses. Enalees will therefore be able to improve the performance of its diagnostic kits and develop them to detect currently undetectable pathogens which require greater diagnostic sensitivity. To support this development, the company plans to recruit a PhD student and a senior technician to its R&D department.

The new production site will allow Enalees to reinforce its supply chain to meet the growing needs of the veterinary market throughout Europe, for reliable rapid diagnostic solutions that are easy to use. Enalees’ molecular tests, which are designed to detect DNA specific to the target pathogen using an isothermal amplification method (LAMP PCR), produce a result after just 30 minutes’ analysis time, meaning animals can be treated more quickly and isolated if necessary.

"I'm very proud of the progress Enalees has made in so little time. This success is the result of the unfailing commitment on the part of our teams to make our ambitions a reality, both on the French market and internationally,” said Laurent Thiery, president and co-founder of Enalees. “This new laboratory and the pilot proteomics factory are evidence of the strategic industrial transformation that we have undergone and our ability to innovate, which is so highly prized by our customers. I would therefore like to thank our shareholders and all our partners who made this new production site possible.”

Thiery said it is a crucial time for Enalees due to the group’s European and international expansion, active search for funding to meet the needs of the veterinary market and company growth targets.

Initially, the laboratory will be used to meet Enalees' internal R&D and production needs. In the longer term, it could enable the company to offer its services to third-party companies in the biotech and veterinary sectors. It has the necessary equipment for production of recombinant proteins, including an AKTA chromatography system and high-precision pipetting robots.

“Enalees is a major partner in the Genopole biocluster, having set up here in 2016 just after it was created. It has experienced significant growth since then, extending its market internationally, taking on new staff and expanding. We are delighted to support its progress with these laboratories, which were custom built and finished on time, located close to its offices. Genopole’s strength lies in its ability to support the companies in the biocluster at every stage of their journey. We celebrate Enalees’ latest achievement and going forward will continue to do everything in our power to meet its needs,” said David Bodet, deputy director of Genopole and CEO of SEM Genopole. 

The global veterinary diagnostics market size was valued at $4.4 billion (€4bn) in 2018 and is projected to reach $9.5 billion (€8.7bn) by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 10% during the forecast period.