ORPHELIA Pharma, a French company specialized in the development and commercialization of pediatric medicines, today announced that initiative Octalfa joined the company as a minority shareholder, director and operating partner.
Funding was done by OCTALFA SAS, the Alberici family-office, and by Pierre Fabre Médicament, present since the inception of the company.
“We were looking for long-term shareholders to finance our development activities,” says Hugues Bienaymé, CEO and Founder of ORPHELIA Pharma. “I am particularly pleased by OCTALFA and Gilles Alberici’s interest in our innovative drug formulation development activities for pediatric indications in neurology and metabolic diseases.”
“The model developed by Hugues Bienaymé perfectly matches our mission and values,” comments Gilles Alberici, President of initiative Octalfa. “We will participate in the financing of development activities, but also get involved in the operational activities of ORPHELIA Pharma, in order to create international partnerships and bring our first pediatric drug to market in 2017.”
ORPHELIA Pharma develops several projects, particularly in the field of epilepsy. The company uses, among others, the European regulation pediatric medicines enacted in 2006, and especially the PUMA (Pediatric Use Marketing Authorization). Its most advanced project is currently in clinical development in France.
Gilles Alberici was appointed Chairman of the Board of ORPHELIA Pharma, alongside with Hugues Bienaymé and André Tartar. The Board of Directors will be strengthened in the coming months in order to support development activities aiming at building international partnerships.
About initiative OCTALFA
Founded by Gilles Alberici, initiative OCTALFA is a family-owned organization based in France comprising investment companies and private foundations. Its two investment companies OCTALFA and OTONNALE are based on entrepreneurship spirit applied to life sciences and sustained development, respectively. Since 2007, initiative OCTALFA has supported 14 innovative companies in France, with up to 2.5 m€ funding per company. It also seeded OCTALFA 360 enjeux d’avenir (a mutual fund specialized in life sciences, energy and cleantech) and is a shareholder of R2V, a French venture fund investing in the South-East of France. In addition, and through the Dominique & Tom Alberici Foundation, more than 60 charity projects have been financed by initiative OCTALFA since 2008 to improve well-being of disabled people and cancer patients in France and in Madagascar.
More info on www.initiative-octalfa.eu
About Pierre Fabre Laboratories
Pierre Fabre is the 3rd largest French pharmaceutical group and the 2nd largest dermo-cosmetics laboratory in the world. In 2014, its sales reached €2.1 Billion, with revenues in dermo-cosmetics accounting for 55% and international sales for 55%. Founded and its headquarters still based in the south-west of France, Pierre Fabre currently has branches in 44 countries and distribution agreements in over 130 countries. Covering a continuum of healthcare products, from prescription drugs and consumer health care products (family care, oral care, natural health) to dermo-cosmetics, Pierre Fabre Laboratories employ over 10,000 people worldwide. In 2014, Pierre Fabre dedicated more than 17% of its drug revenues to R&D.
To find out more, please visit www.pierre-fabre.com
About ORPHELIA Pharma SA
Founded in 2007 by Hugues Bienaymé and previously known as TargeOn SAS, ORPHELIA Pharma’s mission is to develop and market new pediatric formulations of drugs already approved in Europe or in the USA. The company intends to use the regulation on pediatric medicines enacted in 2006 in Europe, including notably the PUMA (Pediatric Use Marketing Authorization) regulation. ORPHELIA Pharma holds several projects with anti-epileptic drugs. The most advanced project is currently in clinical development stage in France.
More info on www.orphelia-pharma.eu
contact@orphelia-pharma.eu; tel +33 (0) 1 42 77 08 18