Artialis Group
One Partner from Drug Discovery to Marketing

The bioanalytics space is undergoing a rapid shift as organizations are moving from simple ELISA to multiplex assays that test multiple biomarkers in one run, saving precious samples and time. Also, there is a trend to develop High Sensitivity assays to measure samples with a low abundance of the target protein. These are mainly bead- or fluorescence-based assays (in contrast to a classic sandwich or competitive ELISAs), which allow the detection of minimal amounts of the target protein.

Helping organizations align with these trends is Artialis Group—a CRO specialized in the development of therapies and biomarkers in the field of musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoarthritis, sarcopenia, tendinopathies, and intervertebral disk degeneration. “We laid the foundation of Artialis to meet the quality criteria and regulatory requirements of the pharmaceutical and food industry in the development of new treatments for musculoskeletal diseases,” says Professor Yves Henrotin, President and CEO of Artialis. “Artialis is unique because it is the only CRO in this field that offers a complete “all-in one” solution allowing customers to have only one partner for the different development phases of their product—from preclinical to post marketing clinical trials.” Indeed, the company has developed original cellular and animal models allowing not only the screening but also the study of the mechanisms of action of a molecule. It is also highly specialized in the identification and development of biochemical markers used as “drug development tools” or as companion biomarkers in the monitoring of treatment efficacy.

The core service of Artialis’ technological platform is the biotesting of biomarkers for musculoskeletal diseases. They exclusively offer quantification of two proprietary biomarkers, COLL2-1 and COLL2-1NO2. Those are degradative fragments of type-II collagen, classified as biomarkers of osteoarthritis. In addition, the company offers testing of any commercially available ELISA and/or multiplex kit after a strict internal validation of its performance to ensure robustness and the reproducibility of the result. The company has a vast experience with both MSD and MagPix technology and offers testing services for several kits using this technology. “Our portfolio includes several markers of cartilage degradation or synthesis, inflammation, bone metabolism, and matrix disorganization, including CTX-II, COMP, MMP3, Osteocalcin, HA, MPO, and MSD multiplex of (pro-inflammatory) cytokines to name just a few,” Professor Henrotin adds.

Further, Artialis has acquired many skills in OMICS technologies. Through its collaboration with a technological platform, Artialis performs transcriptomic, metabolomic, and proteomic analyses of various biological fluids. This approach helps identify mechanisms of action for innovative treatments. Every study design is customised to address the clients’ requirements based on the test product.

Having such a comprehensive offering, Artialis has become the preferred provider for Nestlé. Artialis contributes to Nestlé’ products from cells screening to clinical trial. It was also a partner of the veteran affair of the US Army for testing biomarkers in large cohorts. Moreover, Artialis is involved in two international and transversal projects, IMI APPROACH and DEMAIN, to identify novel biomarkers for osteoarthritis and sarcopenia, respectively. “We always strive to integrate new and innovative biomarkers into our portfolio so that clients can take advantage of state-of-the-art biomarker testing capacities,” says Professor Henrotin. As a provider of “all-in-one solution,” Artialis is the best drug development partner in the field of MSK disorders due to its reputation, experience, scientific competence, and wide range of technological solutions.