Liège, Belgium — A new name is emerging in the genome editing space, and it’s Belgian.
Quidditas Therapeutics, a Liège-based biotech startup founded in 2022, has just raised €2.62 million to fast-track the development of its precision genome editing technology, which promises to overcome the technical barriers that still limit gene therapy today.
The funding round includes €900,000 in fresh capital led by French biotech fund iXLife Capital, joined by VC group Key Ventures, family offices, and angel investors. It’s further bolstered by a €1.72 million public grant from the Walloon government’s Win4Company programme—demonstrating Belgium’s strong commitment to innovation in life sciences.
At the core of Quidditas’ innovation is a recombination-based platform that enables highly targeted genetic changes, including the full replacement of genes or exons. The technology reportedly allows researchers to “cut and paste” DNA or RNA sequences of any length with high precision—potentially bypassing the current limitations of CRISPR-based tools.
“Genome editing holds immense promise, especially in treating rare and complex genetic disorders,” said François Cherbonneau, CEO and co-founder of Quidditas. “We’re building a platform that’s both precise and adaptable—one that can unlock treatments that have so far been out of reach.”
Cherbonneau, along with co-founder Aurore Prunevieille, brings a research pedigree that spans Paris Saint-Louis Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard. Their backgrounds in molecular genetics and immunology have shaped a platform with wide-reaching potential—from gene therapies to bioproduction and regenerative medicine.
The startup positions itself as a next-generation alternative to existing gene editing systems, noting that while CRISPR has opened doors, it still struggles with issues like efficiency, specificity, and limited recombination size. Quidditas aims to address these hurdles head-on with a fully controllable system capable of handling complex edits.
For iXLife Capital, the investment is a strategic bet on transformative biotech. “Quidditas’ genome editing technology represents a leap forward in the field,” said Jean-Pierre Kinet, MD, managing partner at iXLife and a former Harvard Medical School professor. “It has the potential to address some of the most challenging diseases, and we’re proud to support its mission.”
As Quidditas moves into its next phase of development, the company is not just looking to improve existing therapies—it’s aiming to rewrite what’s possible in genetic medicine.
