Writing documentation for new drug development is a notoriously time-consuming task, often bogged down by minimal software support and a shortage of skilled professionals. Paris-based Biolevate aims to change this dynamic with its AI-powered platform that leverages natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision to streamline medical writing. The startup has raised €6 million in seed funding, led by EQT Ventures, to scale its solution.
CEO Joel Belafa, speaking with TechCrunch, highlighted the shared frustrations that inspired the company’s inception. “Nathan Chen [COO] and I have been friends for 25 years. We’ve long shared the same professional frustrations with how slow and difficult R&D and market access were for therapeutic products, as well as the severe impact this had on patients and the economy in general,” he explained. Their combined expertise in pharmaceutical processes and AI laid the foundation for Biolevate’s flagship product.
Even as AI accelerates drug development, the documentation process remains a bottleneck for the biotech industry. Pharmaceutical companies must create extensive paperwork to meet regulatory standards, creating a significant administrative burden. To address this, Biolevate developed Elise, a prototype that acts as an AI assistant for medical writers. By guiding users through materials and minimizing the effort needed to review and correct documents, the platform optimizes the creation and management of research and compliance paperwork.
The company’s unique approach caught the attention of Anas Laaroussi and Antoine De Torcy, who joined as CTO and CPO, respectively. Biolevate also earned a spot on Station F’s prestigious Future 40 list, underscoring its potential to disrupt the sector.
EQT Ventures’ Partner Julien Hobeika praised Biolevate’s innovation in a statement, saying, “There’s a significant opportunity in making medical writing more efficient using AI. The team at Biolevate offers an impressive solution to transform medical documentation processes into a seamless and effective procedure that supports innovation and drives scientific breakthroughs benefiting society.”
Belafa remains pragmatic about potential challenges. If the company’s current strategy encounters hurdles, alternative plans include offering the platform as a service for other industries, selling individual AI models as APIs, or using the technology to provide drug discovery professional services.
With its AI-driven platform and a fresh influx of funding, Biolevate is poised to tackle one of biotech’s most persistent inefficiencies, signaling a step forward for both medical writers and the pharmaceutical industry.
Featured image courtesy of Biolevate
Leave a Reply