Skip to content

Nanobactérie

French biotech company, formerly Nanobactérie and now AlphaOnco, developing magnetosome-based hyperthermia therapies for solid tumors such as prostate cancer.

Last updated September 29, 2026

AI crawler reads

No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.

Overview

Nanobactérie is a French biotechnology company that has since rebranded as AlphaOnco. According to its own corporate materials, the company is the result of more than 15 years of pioneering research led by Dr. Edouard Alphandéry, who serves as CEO, CTO and founder. The business is built around the therapeutic use of magnetosomes — naturally derived magnetic nanoparticles — to destroy solid tumors through localized heating, a technique known as hyperthermia. The company's lead program targets prostate cancer. AlphaOnco describes a novel, non-invasive therapy that combines magnetosomes with focused low-intensity ultrasound to heat and destroy prostate tumors at moderate temperatures. The approach is designed to avoid general anesthesia, surgical procedures and radiotherapy, and to be suitable for outpatient use, which the company says reduces cost, patient risk and recovery time. The company reports 13 global patent families and preclinical evidence showing full tumor disappearance with no regrowth in animal models. Beyond prostate cancer, the company states that its technology has demonstrated efficacy across several tumor models, including breast cancer and glioblastoma in mice and spontaneous sarcoma in dogs, using various heating sources such as magnetic fields, lasers and ultrasound. It cites more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and 13 patent families as the scientific foundation of its work. The company's history, as described on its website, traces an evolution from a magnetic bacterium to injectable, safe magnetosomes. Key development steps include patented chains of magnetosomes used as a medical device, patented chelating agents to stimulate magnetosome production, and non-pyrogenic magnetosomes stabilized with a coating. Proof-of-concept studies in mice bearing breast tumors and glioblastoma tumors reportedly led to full tumor disappearance in some animals after repeated hyperthermia treatment. Nanobactérie is registered as a French company. Its leadership and managing team includes Edouard Alphandéry as CEO/CTO and founder, with Raphaël Le Fèvre and Imène Chebbi as project managers. Medical and scientific advice comes from Eric Barret, a urological surgeon at the Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Anne-Laure Bailly as Medical & Regulatory Director and consultant, and Professor Sylvie Begin-Colin of the University of Strasbourg. The company operates primarily in France and positions itself at the intersection of advanced science and therapeutic reality, aiming to transform focal therapy in prostate cancer.

History

Nanobactérie, now operating as AlphaOnco, is a French biotechnology company whose history is rooted in more than 15 years of research led by Dr. Edouard Alphandéry. The company's own account describes an evolution from a magnetic bacterium to injectable, safe magnetosomes intended for cancer therapy. The core scientific concept is the use of magnetosomes — naturally derived magnetic nanoparticles — to generate localized heat inside solid tumors, a technique known as hyperthermia. The company reports a series of patented developments. These include chains of magnetosomes used as a medical device, chelating agents to stimulate magnetosome production, and non-pyrogenic magnetosomes stabilized with a coating. Proof-of-concept studies in mice bearing breast tumors showed that administering magnetosomes and heating the tumors with an alternating magnetic field led to full tumor disappearance in some mice. Similar results were reported in mice bearing glioblastoma tumors after repeated hyperthermia treatment. Over time, the company tested multiple methods to apply hyperthermia inside solid tumors, moving through injectable magnetosomes, device improvement, and repeated hyperthermia settings. Its stated objective is to implement repeated hyperthermia to treat solid tumors. The company has accumulated 13 global patent families and states that its work has given rise to more than 40 peer-reviewed publications. The rebranding from Nanobactérie to AlphaOnco reflects a shift toward a clinical-stage identity focused on prostate cancer. AlphaOnco is pioneering a non-invasive prostate cancer therapy that combines magnetosomes with focused low-intensity ultrasound. This approach is designed to destroy tumors at moderate temperatures without general anesthesia, surgery, or radiotherapy, and to be suitable for outpatient use. The company reports preclinical evidence of full tumor disappearance with no regrowth and minimal side effects in mice bearing prostate tumors, as well as efficacy across several tumor models including breast, glioblastoma, prostate in mice, and spontaneous sarcoma in dog, using various heating sources such as magnetic field, laser, and ultrasound. The company is registered in France and operates primarily in that market. Its leadership team includes founder Edouard Alphandéry as CEO/CTO, project managers Raphaël Le Fèvre and Imène Chebbi, and medical and scientific advisors including urological surgeon Eric Barret, Anne-Laure Bailly as Medical & Regulatory Director and consultant, and Professor Sylvie Begin-Colin of the University of Strasbourg.

  • Over 15 years of pioneering research led by Dr. Edouard Alphandéry

  • Patented chains of magnetosomes as medical device

  • Proof of concept published: mice bearing breast tumors treated with magnetosomes and alternating magnetic field led to full tumor disappearance in some mice

  • Patented chelating agents to stimulate magnetosome production

  • Patented non-pyrogenic magnetosomes stabilized with coating

  • Proof of concept: mice bearing glioblastoma tumors treated with repeated hyperthermia led to full tumor disappearance

  • Rebranding from Nanobactérie to AlphaOnco

Products and positioning

Pioneering non-invasive focal therapy for prostate cancer using magnetosomes and focused ultrasound, aiming to transform focal therapy.

  • Ultrasound-activated magnetosome-enhanced thermal treatment of prostate tumors

    Non-invasive prostate cancer therapy using magnetosomes combined with focused low-intensity ultrasound.

  • Injectable magnetosomes

    Safe magnetosomes developed for injection into solid tumors.

  • Magnetosome chains as medical device

    Patented chains of magnetosomes used as a medical device.

Sources3 sources

Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/nanobactérie · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled