Cytheris

About Cytheris

Cytheris SA was a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company established in 1999 and based near Paris, France. The company focused on developing therapies for immune modulation, specifically to treat diseases driven by lymphopenia (low lymphocyte counts). Its primary mission was to restore and enhance the immune systems of patients with conditions like cancer, chronic viral infections such as HIV and HCV, or those undergoing lympho-depleting treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The company's lead drug candidate was CYT107, a glycosylated recombinant human Interleukin-7 (r-hIL-7), a critical growth factor for T-cell recovery and enhancement. Clinical trials for CYT107 were conducted in numerous countries on over 240 patients, demonstrating a consistent safety profile and the ability to expand and protect CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. Key targeted indications included Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) and for HIV-infected patients who were Immune Non-Responders (HIV-INR) to standard antiretroviral therapy. The company's CEO was Michel Morre. In 2013, Cytheris filed for bankruptcy, and its assets, including the promising IL-7 drug, were acquired by Cognate BioServices.