Paris-based Exeliom Biosciences, a clinical-stage BioTech company developing new therapies in immuno-oncology and immuno-inflammation, today announced the completion of a €2.85 million extension to its Series A round, bringing the total Series A funding to €11.85 million.
This extension, led by existing investors Biocodex with participation by Crescent Ventures, UI Investissement and Forepont Capital Partners, builds on the company’s legacy of nearly €30 million in dilutive and non-dilutive funding since its founding in 2016.
“Exeliom is deeply grateful for the unwavering support of our investors, which has enabled us to transform EXL01 from a microbiome therapy into a precision NOD2-targeting immunomodulator, using a live bacterial strain as its delivery mode,” said Benjamin Hadida, CEO of Exeliom.
This funding fits within a wider pattern of investment in European immuno-oncology and immuno-inflammation ventures during 2025.
In Finland, TILT Biotherapeutics raised €22.6 million in a Series B round to progress intravenously delivered cancer immunotherapies. In the UK and Ireland, LIfT BioSciences secured €12 million to advance neutrophil-based immunotherapies for solid tumours. Denmark’s SNIPR Biome obtained €35 million in Series B funding for microbial and CRISPR-based therapeutics addressing oncology and infectious diseases.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Highlight Therapeutics raised €15 million to accelerate clinical development of its skin-tumour immunotherapies, and Austria’s Graph Therapeutics completed a €3 million pre-Seed round for AI-driven discovery in inflammation and immunology.
Exeliom’s Series A extension therefore reflects continued investor confidence in precision-based immunotherapies, positioning France alongside a diverse set of European peers advancing immune-modulating platforms.
EU-Startups previously covered Exeliom Biosciences in July 2023, when we reported on the company’s €24 million Series A close to advance its microbiome-based immunotherapy pipeline.
“The evolution of this small-molecule-like approach unlocks new indications, not only expanding our therapeutic potential but also positioning us for international growth, including a new cancer study underway in the US,” added Hadida.
Founded in 2016, Exeliom Biosciences is a clinical-stage BioTech company developing a new generation of innate immune modulators to restore and enhance patients’ immune responsiveness in cancer, inflammatory diseases and chronic infections.
The new funding will support the continued clinical development and international expansion of Exeliom’s lead programme, EXL01, with a focus on advancing proof-of-concept Phase 2 studies and preparing for a new cancer indication in the US.
Their lead candidate, EXL01, is a bacterial-derived, NOD2-targeting immunomodulator that activates macrophages and reprograms the immune microenvironment. By doing so, EXL01 has the potential to overcome resistance to existing therapies and significantly enhance the efficacy of immunotherapies.
EXL01 is currently being evaluated in three Phase 2 oncology trials in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, including the largest randomized Phase 2 study worldwide evaluating a bacterial approach in gastric cancer. In addition, EXL01 has completed a Phase 1 study in Crohn’s disease and is now being investigated in a randomised, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial in the same disease.
The programme also includes a Phase 2 randomised, placebo-controlled trial for the prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection.
“Supporting Exeliom Biosciences perfectly embodies a partnership rooted in scientific excellence, guided by long-term vision and driven by our shared conviction that microbiota-based innovation can transform the management of complex immune-mediated diseases. Together, we aim to turn pioneering science into sustainable health solutions for patients worldwide,” said Jean-Marie Lefevre, chairman of Biocodex.
Over the past two years, Exeliom has made significant strides in demonstrating the mechanism of action of EXL01, identifying NOD2 as its key target.
The NOD2 pathway is a central component of the body’s innate immune system and a well-validated target in the pharmaceutical industry, with two approved products already on the market. EXL01 exhibits superior NOD2-agonist properties and activates a distinct NOD2 signaling profile compared to existing approaches, positioning it as a potentially first-in-class therapy in this emerging field.
“Forepont Capital are excited at the scientific and clinical advancements made by Exeliom, particularly that Faecalibacterium prausnitzii modulates the immune system via the NOD2 pathway, which is important for regulating innate immunity and is therefore an important target for therapeutics,” said Ismail Kola, senior partner at Forepont.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/10/french-startup-exeliom-biosciences-boosts-funding-with-e2-85-million-to-accelerate-immunotherapy-for-cancer/
