We are HEPHAISTOS
Unlocking Immunity
HEPHAISTOS is a biopharmaceutical company developing 3rd generation innate immune boosters designed to convert myeloid-rich tumors into immunotherapy responsive tumors.
The lead drug-candidate HEPHA 440 has demonstrated compelling anti-tumor activity in a broad spectrum of preclinical models of cancers, both as single agent and in combination with other immunotherapies. The drug also demonstrated favorable tolerability and a broad therapeutic window predicting safe and efficacious systemic administration in humans.
HEPHA 440 is scheduled to enter clinical trials in 2027.
HEPHAISTOS is advancing next-generation TLR4 agonist with high-therapeutic-index for front-line cancer therapy.
Frederic CAROFF
CEO
MSc Centrale Paris, MBA Essec. Manager and repeat Biotech Entrepreneur
Dr. Frederique BRUNE, PharmD
CDO
Expert in Clinical drug development and regulatory
Dr. Jérôme KERZERHO, PhD
CSO
Expert in immunology and preclinical development
Christel LONNEUX
CFO and HR
Finance auditing and Biotech financing
Simon PICO
BD
MSc, MBA EM Lyon. Biotech ecosystem expert. Business Angel
Frederic CAROFF
MSc Centrale Paris, MBA Essec. Manager and repeat Biotech Entrepreneur
Dr. Frédérique BRUNE, PharmD
Expert in Clinical drug development and regulatory
Dr. Jérôme KERZERHO, PhD
Expert in immunology and preclinical development
Christel LONNEUX
Finance auditing and Biotech financing
Simon PICO
Dr. David SOURDIVE, PhD
Chairman of the Board
Founder and executive VP at Cellectis, Former Chairman at Mablink
Florian DENIS
Board member
Partner at Elaia
Ingrid KELLY
Board member
Partner at xista Science Ventures
Jerome MAJOIE
Board member
Founder and CEO at
Fondation Fournier-Majoie
Frederic SCHYNTS
Board member
Investment Manager at Noshaq
Dr. David SOURDIVE, PhD
Founder and executive VP at Cellectis, Former Chairman at Mablink
Florian DENIS
Partner at Elaia
Ingrid KELLY
Jerome MAJOIE
Founder and CEO at
Fondation Fournier-Majoie
Frederic SCHYNTS
Investment Manager at Noshaq
Pr. Jean-Yves BLAY, MD, PhD
Clinical advisor
Professor of medical oncology at Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, General Director of the CLB, President of Unicancer, President of French Sarcoma Group and World Sarcoma Network, expert in immuno-oncology, sarcoma and GISTs, ESMO Hamilton-Fairley, Mary-Jane Mitjaville and Duquesne awards 2012, 2013 and 2020
Dr. Éric CHETAILLE, MD
Clinical advisor
Former Head of Oncology Innovation Unit at Pierre Fabre, VP Oncology Development at Ipsen
Pr. Tobias PUKROP, MD
Clinical advisor
Professor of Translational Oncology. Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ostbayern
Dr. Peter de WAELE, PhD
Immunotherapy advisor
Expert in immunotherapy at Fondation Fournier-Majoie, former VP R&D and IP at Celyad
Dr. Nathalie GARÇON, PharmD, PhD
Adjuvant advisor
Former CEO of the French technology research institute for microbiology Bioaster, VP Head of adjuvants and technologies innovation center at GSK vaccines, expert in vaccine and adjuvant technology and industry, Stanley Plotkin award 2014
Pr. Jean-Yves BLAY, MD, PhD
Professor of medical oncology at Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, General Director of the CLB, President of Unicancer, President of French Sarcoma Group and World Sarcoma Network, expert in immuno-oncology, sarcoma and GISTs, ESMO Hamilton-Fairley, Mary-Jane Mitjaville and Duquesne awards 2012, 2013 and 2020
Dr. Éric CHETAILLE, MD
Former Head of Oncology Innovation Unit at Pierre Fabre, VP Oncology Development at Ipsen
Pr. Tobias PUKROP, MD
Professor of Translational Oncology. Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Ostbayern
Dr. Peter de WAELE, PhD
Expert in immunotherapy at Fondation Fournier-Majoie, former VP R&D and IP at Celyad
Dr. Nathalie GARÇON, PharmD, PhD
Former CEO of the French technology research institute for microbiology Bioaster, VP Head of adjuvants and technologies innovation center at GSK vaccines, expert in vaccine and adjuvant technology and industry, Stanley Plotkin award 2014
Dr. Martine CAROFF, Dsc.
Scientific founder
Former Research Director at CNRS, TLR4 agonist biochemistry expert. Founder and inventor of the technology.
EU Woman Innovators Prize 2019.
Pr. Charles Dumontet, MD, PhD
CRCL, HCL, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University
Professor of hematology at Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, Deputy Director and leader of the onco-pharmacology team at CRCL, VP research at Hospices Civils de Lyon, expert in molecular pharmacology, immuno-oncology and hematology.
Dr. Martine CAROFF, Dsc.
Former Research Director at CNRS, TLR4 agonist biochemistry expert. Founder and inventor of the technology.
EU Woman Innovators Prize 2019.
Pr. Charles Dumontet, MD, PhD
Professor of hematology at Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, Deputy Director and leader of the onco-pharmacology team at CRCL, VP research at Hospices Civils de Lyon, expert in molecular pharmacology, immuno-oncology and hematology.
Overcoming resistance to immunotherapy
The biggest challenge in oncology
Many patients still fail to derive durable benefit from immunotherapy because tumors can evade immune surveillance and establish a microenvironment with Myeloid cells that suppresses effective anti-tumor immunity. HEPHA-440 act simultaneously on two anti-tumor mechanisms:
1. Primary activation of innate immunity
-
- M2 to M1 macrophages conversion
- TME remodeling from cold to hot tumors
- Induction of tumor antigen presentation by DCs
2. Secondary activation of adaptive immunity
-
- Recruitment and priming of CD8+ T Cells
- Immune-memory against tumor recurrence
- Systemic anti-tumor and metastases immune effect
HEPHA440 activates innate and adaptive immune responses with significant systemic anti-tumor potential.
Publications
A detoxified TLR4 agonist inhibits tumour growth and lung metastasis of osteosarcoma by promoting CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocyte infiltration
Ryunosuke Oyama, Akira Nabeshima, Makoto Endo, Alexey Novikov, Toshifumi Fujiwara, Capucine Phelip, Nobuhiko Yokoyama, Yoshinao Oda, Martine Caroff, Yoshihiro Matsumoto, Jerome Kerzerho & Yasuharu Nakashima
A TLR4 Agonist Induces Osteosarcoma Regression by Inducing an Antitumor Immune Response and Reprogramming M2 Macrophages to M1 Macrophages
Iseulys Richert, Paul Berchard, Lhorra Abbes, Alexey Novikov, Kamel Chettab, Alexandra Vandermoeten, Charles Dumontet, Marie Karanian, Jerome Kerzerho, Martine Caroff, Jean-Yves Blay, Aurélie Dutour
In preclinical studies, HEPHA440 demonstrated compelling anti-tumor activity with deep and durable responses and induced a memory effect through its unique mode of action of recruiting CD8 T cells, activating antigen presentation, and converting M2 to M1 macrophages. Through TME remodeling, HEPHA440 has the potential to overcome myeloid cell-based immune-suppression and unleash the full potential of immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Live
News
Media coverage
Maddyness
HEPHAISTOS-Pharma accueille Elaia à son capital pour développer des traitements plus puissants contre le cancer
L'Écho
La biotech HEPHAISTOS va s’appuyer sur l’écosystème liégeois
Yahoo
HEPHAISTOS secures 2 millions euros
B Smart
ÉCOSYSTÈME – L’interview de Frédéric Caroff (Héphaïstos-Pharma) et …
Aquitaine Online
AquitaineOnline – MATWIN, innovation pour la recherche en oncologie…
Clusters & Partners
Financial supports
France 2030 Program
France 2030 Program
Hephaistos has received funding from the European Union – Next Generation EU through the program France Relance
France Relance
France Relance
HEPHAISTOS-Pharma has received funding from the European Union – Next Generation EU through the program France Relance
European Union EIC Accelerator program
European Union EIC Accelerator program
HEPHAISTOS-Pharma has received funding from the European Union EIC Accelerator program
European Union FEDER regional fund
European Union FEDER regional fund
HEPHAISTOS-Pharma has received funding from the European Union FEDER regional fund
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program
HEPHAISTOS-Pharma has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 868937
Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
HEPHAISTOS-Pharma’s academic partner CRCL has received funding from the Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the Grand Lyon Metropole and the CLARA Canceropole
Wilco
Wilco
Get in touch
If you would like to learn more about our science, our pipeline, or partnership opportunities, we invite you to get in touch with our team.
Hephaïstos-Pharma
21 Rue Jean Rostand, 91400 Orsay
Hephaïstos-Pharma
63 Rue André Bollier, 69007 Lyon
Hephaïstos-Pharma
Avenue de l’Hôpital 11, 4000 Liège