Real-time detection and monitoring of respiratory epidemics by combining multi-source data integration and artificial intelligence 

The AIOLOS project aims to develop a national, agile, and sustainable tool based on the real-time integration of multi-source data and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to better detect, monitor, and manage the response to respiratory virus epidemics and pandemics.

AIOLOS will combine aggregated health data (emergency room visits, hospitalizations, virus genome sequences, GPs visits, medical test results, drug purchases, etc.) with non-health data (social media content, air quality, weather, virus detection in wastewater, mobility data, etc.) in real time. This data, already generated by various tools and actors, is still underused and fragmented.

They will be analyzed, transformed, and combined using AI methods, then displayed in an interactive dashboard for decision-makers, ensuring real-time access to information relevant to crisis management. The use of advanced AI functions will make it possible to correct biases, detect weak signals, anticipate epidemic peaks, and generate contextualized alerts.

AIOLOS will also include a mobile app for the public, designed to inform citizens about the level of risk around them (“a respiratory virus forecast”) and to support prevention strategies, in conjunction with health authorities. This app will pave the way for participatory epidemiology by encouraging citizens to report information.

A large-scale project spanning four years, AIOLOS builds on the achievements of an initial Franco-German proof of concept[1], supported as part of the France 2030 Plan. In September 2027, AIOLOS will deliver a functional regional pilot project in the Rhône population basin, and the solution will then be gradually rolled out across France in 2028 and 2029.

The AIOLOS project is led by a public-private consortium including the Hospices Civils de Lyon, Orange Business, Impact Health Care (a CRO specializing in public health and digital technology), and Biolevate (an AI start-up selected for French Tech 2030 in the 2025 promotion). The wider ecosystem of data providers and other public or private players wishing to contribute will be closely involved in the project through the AIOLOS association, which will oversee and coordinate the entire project. Sanofi will share its expertise in epidemiology and global surveillance through a skills sponsorship program with this association.

Through this integrated and open approach, AIOLOS aims to provide France with an agile, reliable, and scalable tool to strengthen the detection and management of epidemics in the face of emerging respiratory viral threats and beyond.

NB: AIOLOS will not collect or process any personal health data. Suppliers retain control over the data they make available, and consortium members do not have privileged access to the system. The data is displayed in a secure dashboard hosted in France, in accordance with national standards, ensuring data protection, trust, and regulatory compliance.

^[1] Policy makers must adopt agile signal detection tools to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and improve pandemic preparedness – ScienceDirect

AIS Biotech aims to bring about a paradigm shift in the fight against infectious diseases by offering a new alternative for the prevention and treatment of infections.

By developing a new class of innovative biomedicines—anti-infective sugar-based decoys—AIS Biotech hopes to contribute to the ongoing fight against infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance.

Some viruses, such as influenza viruses responsible for seasonal and pandemic flu, MERS-CoV, which is highly pathogenic and endemic in the Middle East, or bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (nosocomial diseases), bind to complex sugars on the surface of cells as the first step in infection.

Thanks to its innovative approach and its technological platform for the bioproduction of complex sugars, AIS Biotech is developing biomedicines capable of deceiving these pathogens by mimicking their natural targets in order to block infection.

Our innovation is based on a unique process for synthesizing complex sugars, developed by CERMAV, a CNRS laboratory in Grenoble. This production process, the result of 25 years of academic research, is the barrier to entry. It can be industrialized and has a low environmental impact, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic chemistry.

AIS Biotech, founded in March 2023, is exploiting this technology to develop its first drug candidate for the treatment of influenza and aims to develop, beyond this first molecule, a genuine pipeline of sugar-based anti-infective drug candidates.

Our first “first-in-class” drug candidate, GlycoFlu, targets a major public health problem with significant economic implications: the influenza viruses responsible for human influenza. Solid proof of concept (validated in vitro and in vivo) has already been obtained, and the results demonstrate GlycoFlu’s ability to block viral attachment, significantly reduce infection, and protect the host in reference preclinical models.

These results validate the biological relevance and therapeutic potential of this anti-infective decoy strategy and confirm the technology’s ability to be extended to other priority pathogens.

The ambition now is to accelerate the development of the platform in order to effectively address emerging or re-emerging viruses, as well as the global challenge of antibiotic resistance, by offering targeted, non-toxic therapeutic solutions that bypass the development of resistance.

The pre-acceleration phase with IDCluster will enable AIS Biotech to strengthen its development strategy, structure its technology platform to accelerate the emergence of innovative therapies, and consolidate key scientific and industrial partnerships.

ASTREMIHA Therapeutics is developing a new class of broad-spectrum antivirals, based on fifteen years of academic research. These molecules, QV-based compounds, feature a triple complementary mode of action:

1. Direct inhibition of viral replication, limiting the progression and invasion of infection in the acute phase and thus reducing the formation of viral reservoirs responsible for long-term persistence and reactivation.
2. Modulation of the immune response, helping to regulate the immune response in a beneficial way and limit viro-induced pathophysiological mechanisms, such as apoptosis, chronic inflammatory mechanisms, and persistent immune activation.
3. Elimination of deep viral reservoirs, particularly in the brain and intestines, which are central to chronic infections.

Proof of concept has been established in preclinical models of AIDS, showing a reduction in viral replication in peripheral tissues, accompanied by an improvement in immune response with reduced inflammation. In the SARS-CoV-2 model, these compounds also demonstrated protective antiviral and immunomodulatory activity, suggesting a universal mechanism of action and positioning this family as a new class of antivirals.

These results pave the way for the development of a broad-spectrum therapeutic arsenal to prepare for future pandemics. These may be exacerbated by several identified factors: global warming, intercontinental migration, melting glaciers, and the proliferation of mosquito vectors. In this context, the gradual development of an antiviral platform capable of responding to emerging and re-emerging viruses is a logical continuation of the proof of concept obtained.

The project selected by IDCluster focuses on the development and positioning of QVs compounds in preparation for future pandemics, aiming to have them recognised as a medical countermeasure. This focus is in line with IDCluster’s strategic priorities.

ASTREMIHA is one of the promising projects selected for pre-acceleration. As such, the startup will benefit from the support of IDCluster, as well as the assistance and network mobilized to strengthen the scientific, strategic, and operational structure of the project. This pre-acceleration forms the basis of the work to be undertaken in January, with a view to possible acceleration and an application for France 2030 public funding.

Biocellis révolutionne le diagnostic biologique grâce à une technologie d’immunodosage de rupture, capable de fournir des résultats en moins de 60 secondes, avec une sensibilité de l’ordre du picogramme et une préparation d’échantillon minimale. Cette innovation repose sur des travaux de recherche brevetés, développés sur plus de dix ans au sein des plus grandes institutions scientifiques françaises.

La technologie de bioluminescence Biocellisest issue de plus d’une décennie de recherche interdisciplinaire menée dans des établissements d’excellence tels que l’Institut Pasteur, le CNRS et l’Inserm. Sa robustesse et sa fiabilité ont été reconnues au niveau national : elle a été sélectionnée par Santé publique France pour réaliser plus d’un million de tests épidémiologiques destinés à la surveillance de la population française durant la pandémie de COVID-19.

Protégée par des brevets internationaux, cette technologie est validée par une équipe pluridisciplinaire réunissant physiciens, biologistes et cliniciens, garantissant à la fois rigueur scientifique, pertinence clinique et potentiel industriel.

Le projet soutenu par ID CLUSTER a pour ambition d’accélérer drastiquement le développement de nouveaux immunodosages, en réduisant les délais de mise au point de plusieurs mois à quelques semaines. Cette avancée stratégique permettra un déploiement plus rapide des tests diagnostiques et une capacité d’adaptation renforcée face aux crises sanitaires et aux futures pandémies.

Lovaltech développe une plateforme de muco-excipient de nouvelle génération, conçue pour optimiser l’administration intranasale de biomolécules complexes, qu’il s’agisse de protéines recombinantes, d’ARNm ou d’autres formats innovants.

Cette technologie propriétaire repose sur une architecture nanoparticulaire modulable capable d’augmenter l’adhésion et la persistance au niveau de la muqueuse, de protéger des entités biologiques sensibles, de favoriser leur internalisation locale et d’induire une immunité muqueuse et systémique robuste, un objectif devenu central pour les futurs vaccins respiratoires.

Totalement agnostique en termes de format vaccinal, la plateforme ouvre la voie au développement de vaccins protéiques intranasaux, déjà validés en Phase I humaine avec un excellent profil de sécurité, ainsi qu’à l’exploration de vaccins à ARNm spécifiquement formulés pour la voie nasale, un domaine encore peu adressé mais porteur de perspectives majeures. À plus long terme, ses propriétés de délivrance et d’immunomodulation permettent également d’envisager des applications dépassant les maladies infectieuses, notamment dans les champs de la vaccination thérapeutique ou de l’oncologie.

La pré-accélération IDCluster accompagnera Lovaltech dans la structuration industrielle, réglementaire et PI de cette plateforme NextGen, avec l’ambition d’en faire un socle technologique européen de référence pour les futurs candidats à administration nasale à forte valeur ajoutée.

Context and ambition: positioning France at the forefront of the fight against future pandemics 

The INNOFLU project, led by Osivax in collaboration with the Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL) and the International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI), is part of a proactive strategy to prepare for health crises and paves the way for a new generation of more effective vaccines against viruses with high mutation rates.

Two complementary innovations to combat influenza pandemics

1. NextGenFluVax: an innovative vaccine combining OVX836, Osivax’s universal vaccine candidate targeting all influenza A strains, with a seasonal influenza vaccine. This unique approach aims to significantly improve the effectiveness of seasonal vaccination (target >70% effectiveness compared to the current average of 38%) by mobilizing both arms of immunity (antibody and cellular responses) while providing cross-protection against pandemic strains thanks to its universal valence. The project plans to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial on the HCL clinical trial platform to validate the feasibility and safety of NextGenFluVax.

2. VIDAS® IGRA: a rapid, automated test that measures the cellular immune response directly in whole blood in just 16 hours, and which could eventually replace the current conventional method, which takes several days and requires blood cell preparation. The development and validation of this test during the project to measure the vaccine-induced response in humans should ultimately enable robust correlates of protection to be established in future large-scale clinical trials and the rapid evaluation of the effectiveness of vaccine countermeasures against new pandemic strains in the event of a health crisis. 

Strategy and impacts: an effective first line of defense against both seasonal and pandemic influenza strains

The integration of the universal OVX836 valence into the seasonal vaccine would not only reduce the impact of seasonal influenza but also create a first line of immune defense in all vaccinated individuals in the event of the emergence of a pandemic strain, significantly reducing its initial impact.

This approach creates a virtuous circle between seasonal prevention and pandemic preparedness: the use of the vaccine for seasonal use will maintain continuous industrial production capacity, facilitating rapid deployment in emergency situations.

A consortium of excellence combining industry with academic research

Osivax, a French biotechnology company and leader in the development of universal vaccines thanks to its proprietary oligoDOM® platform, contributes its expertise in vaccine development and innovative technology. HCL will conduct the clinical trial and perform immunological analyses on samples, including validation of the VIDAS® IGRA test to measure the specific cellular response to the influenza virus. CIRI will contribute its cutting-edge expertise in immunology and virology to thoroughly characterize the antibody and cellular immune response induced during the clinical trial.

Controlling influenza A (IAV) in pigs is both a major public health issue and a crucial challenge for the pig industry. Pigs play a central role in the influenza ecosystem as an intermediate reservoir capable of reassortment of genetic segments from human, swine, and avian viruses. This mechanism can lead to the emergence of new pandemic strains, as was observed with the H1N1 virus during the 2009 pandemic. Today, control of IAV in pig farms relies mainly on the use of inactivated vaccines. However, IAV is a segmented RNA virus with a high capacity for evolution, while the vaccines currently available cannot be adapted quickly enough to keep up with the emergence of new circulating variants.

In this context, self-replicating RNA (ssRNA) vaccine technologies represent a particularly promising alternative. They make it possible to modify the sequences coding for antigens of interest, in particular hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA), in just a few weeks, thus providing great flexibility in the face of a constantly evolving virus. However, the development and optimization of sRNA vaccines requires the comparison of a large number of vaccine candidates in order to identify the most effective ones. Today, this phase still relies heavily on animal testing, which is time-consuming, costly, restrictive, and severely limits the number of vaccine candidates that can be tested, thereby delaying the selection of the best candidates.

The use of porcine lymphoid organoids, including lymphoid aggregates and lymphoid organs on chips, is an innovative and relevant alternative to animal testing. These ex vivo models provide a robust system for measuring complex humoral and cellular immune responses. They allow for the screening of a much larger number of vaccine candidates prior to in vivo studies, significantly reducing the risk of unsuccessful animal trials and accelerating the development phases of a new vaccine.

The FluOrganoVax project therefore aims to (i) register a saARN vaccine platform against swine flu and (ii) develop and validate two types of porcine organoids for the evaluation of saARN vaccine candidates. Led by a consortium bringing together Ceva Santé Animale, INRAE, and the Institut Pasteur, it is fully in line with a One Health approach, at the interface between animal and human health. Ceva, a leading industrial player in veterinary vaccines, is leading the development and registration of the vaccine platform. INRAE is contributing its recognized expertise in swine immunology and virology, while the Institut Pasteur is mobilizing its knowledge of immunology and organoid-on-a-chip technologies.  

Over a four-year period, FluOrganoVax will provide France with a unique strategic capability to respond rapidly to future panzootic diseases and/or pandemics. By combining an agile vaccine platform with predictive ex vivo models, the project will significantly reduce the time required to develop new vaccines, while strengthening One Health preparedness and the sustainability of the pig industry.