After 25 years of fundamental research at the CNRS, Véronique Gomord and Loïc Faye created Angany Genetics in Val-de-Reuil (Eure) in 2010. This extremely innovative biomedicine production unit notably developed the first vaccines intended for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic patients. But, after fourteen years of activity, the adventure has just ended suddenly. Since October 21, the laboratory doors have been closed and the curtains drawn. Seven researchers were fired.
However, during its first eight years of activity, thanks to the Research Tax Credit (CIR) and the financial support of its French shareholders, Angany Genetics was able to file four families of patents. In 2018, unable to find the necessary financing in France to launch clinical trials of the products they had developed, the co-founders joined forces with two Canadian partners to create the company Angany Inc, based in Quebec. Angany Genetics then transfers its know-how, its four patents and all of its equipment to the Canadian company. In return for this sale, the French obtained 25% of the capital of the Canadian company, but also a commitment to maintain staff and R&D activity in Val-de-Reuil.
A commitment all the more credible as the company across the Atlantic did not just absorb the French company, but created a subsidiary, Angany Innovation, to secure this position. Véronique Gomord had also been appointed president and scientific director of the Franco-Canadian group and director of the French subsidiary. Thus, during the following five years, Angany Innovation was able, with complete confidence in its future, to develop and validate the effectiveness of the first vaccines against cat allergy in humans and atopic dermatitis in dogs. Then launch, in December 2023, the first clinical trials.
Other projects were underway during the same period. The laboratory has thus developed another range of vaccines, this time intended for the treatment of peanut and dust mite allergies, but also treatments against Covid-19 using monoclonal antibodies. And, in collaboration with the oncology department of the Montreal hospital, the small company from Val-de-Reuil was working on an extremely promising first product as part of a personalized vaccination project against cancer.
Researchers thanked, then… thanked
However, it was behind the scenes and on the other side of the Atlantic that the fate of Angany Innovation was decided. The ax finally fell on October 21 with the closure of the laboratory, and the early retirement of Loïc Faye. The co-founder of the laboratory denounces the budgetary reasons put forward by the Quebec shareholders: “For less than a year, a huge reshuffle led to a change of management and the departure of thirteen employees, or 60% of its workforce. Science doesn't work without money. Two weeks ago, we were thanked for our work via a post and the same day, we were invited to our pre-dismissal interviews! »
Véronique Gomord, for her part, was dismissed and dismissed “for alleged serious misconduct”, according to Loïc Faye, who took advantage of a letter to shareholders to clarify his position: “As far as Angany Inc is concerned, there was a buyout forced of our shares at a price of $0.0001 per share in August 2024. We contest these serious errors and despite our repeated requests, no factual elements have been provided. Three procedures are underway. Thank you to my colleagues with whom we weathered the storm until the end in the face of so much injustice. »
Christine Guillen, CEO of the Angany group since November 2023, interviewed by “Paris-Normandie”, defended this closure by explaining that “the Canadian company faces financial challenges which force it to find new financing to avoid bankruptcy” . In the press release of October 21, 2024 announcing the closure of the Val-de-Reuil laboratory, the group states that it wants to “rebalance the allocation of its resources to fully support the clinical development of its two most advanced products”. Vaccines for the treatment of cat allergy and atopic dermatitis in dogs could therefore well be marketed after these trial periods. With Angany’s “most sincere thanks” to its researchers.
