ExactCure, the Nice-based medtech pioneer of the “digital twin,” has had a turbulent journey. After a near-collapse in September 2024, the innovative company was taken under the wing of Biotrial, a French specialist in clinical trials. Here is the breakdown and analysis by AURIS Finance, a consulting firm dedicated to mergers and acquisitions.
Revolutionizing medication intake and drug safety through digital twins – that is ExactCure’s ambition. The medtech company has developed an approach that combines a patient’s individual characteristics (age, weight, kidney function, ongoing treatments, etc.) with a simulation of the effect of a drug therapy. Performed by computer and powered by artificial intelligence tools, this simulation helps improve therapeutic adherence and adapt treatments to each patient.
A Focus on a Pioneering Trajectory
Digital twin technology enabled ExactCure to rise rapidly, even reaching the brink of an IPO opportunity. In May 2024, ExactCure announced its merger with biopharmaceutical company Quantum Genomics. A few months later, in September 2024, the new entity was placed under court-supervised restructuring. Due to slow deployment in a market that remains immature, the merger with Quantum Genomics neither consolidated the group’s activity nor secured the necessary funding.
A Last-Minute Rescue
ExactCure’s survival was then seriously at risk. The company’s leaders opted for a strategic shift by partnering with a renowned industrial actor. In November 2025, ExactCure was acquired by Biotrial, a specialist in pharmaceutical trials.
A Major Strategic Shift
Until then, the Nice-based start-up had mainly focused on patient-facing applications. By joining Biotrial, ExactCure pivoted its business model and is now moving toward a more industrial use of its digital twin technology. While the workforce has been retained, the entity has been renamed “Biotrial Data Science.”
In practice, Biotrial Data Science will use ExactCure’s technology to simulate patient groups digitally, helping laboratories test their drugs faster and more efficiently – offering major advances for both biotech firms and pharmaceutical groups.
A Transition Toward the Pharmaceutical Industry
By taking over ExactCure, Biotrial adds a new building block to its portfolio: the ability to offer hybrid clinical trials, combining traditional studies with digital simulations. Founded in 1989 and based in Rennes, Biotrial is a CRO (Contract Research Organization). The group operates on behalf of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies thanks to recognized expertise in several areas:
- Pre-clinical pharmacology
- Clinical development for Phase I studies involving healthy volunteers and specific populations
- Bioanalysis
- Biometrics
- Centralized cardiology labs (ECG)
- Imaging
Each year, Biotrial conducts around one hundred studies for biotech firms and pharmaceutical groups.
Our Experts by Your Side
The virtual clinical trials segment plays a strategic role in the evolution of services for the pharmaceutical industry. The digital twin market is rapidly expanding and is expected to grow even further in the years ahead, driven by advances in artificial intelligence.
ExactCure’s story is unique: the company narrowly avoided disappearing altogether – demonstrating that an innovative technology can prevail in a constrained environment, provided that a strategic pivot is made.
At AURIS Finance, our experts are sector-specialized. Our healthcare specialists stand by your side and support you in implementing your strategy, from identifying targets and acquirers to securing financial partners.
