Ciloa secures €6.5m from French government to advance obesity and T2 diabetes therapy
Ella Day | July 9, 2025 | News story | Research and Development | Ciloa, Diabetes, France 2030, Obesity, adiponectin, funding, obesity, type 2 diabetes
French biotech company, Ciloa, has received €6.5m in funding through France 2030 to advance its lead candidate, APN-sEV, targeting obesity and type 2 (T2) diabetes. The therapy, based on stable and functional adiponectin combined with exosomes, is the world’s first recombinant form of adiponectin for metabolic diseases.
Adiponectin is a hormone often referred to as the ‘Guardian Angel’ of the metabolic system due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidative stress, antiapoptotic and insulin-sensitising properties. While prior attempts to develop adiponectin-based therapies failed due to stability issues, Ciloa successfully used its proprietary exosome technology to create a candidate that remains stable and functional.
Preclinical studies have shown that APN-sEV significantly reduces excess weight, improves insulin sensitivity and preserves muscle mass, even in combination with existing T2 diabetes therapies. The company aims to position APN-sEV as a complementary or standalone treatment, acting on metabolic pathways distinct from those targeted by current drugs.
Cilea will use the funding to implement biomanufacturing of APN-sEV as well as safety studies ahead of clinical trials, with phase 1 planned for 2027 and phase 2 in 2028. If successful, APN-sEV could offer a first-in-class treatment for metabolic diseases affecting nearly two billion people worldwide.
France 2030 is investing €54bn in technological innovation with the potential to improve the key parts of the French economy.
Ella Day
9/7/25
Related Content
FDA approves Wegovy for treatment of MASH in adults with liver fibrosis
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Wegovy (semaglutide) as …
Lilly reports positive results from trial of obesity candidate
Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) has announced topline results from its phase 3 ATTAIN-1 trial, …
MetP Pharma releases positive data on intranasal semaglutide administration
MetP Pharma has released new data highlighting the advantages of its MetP technology in delivering …
