National Harbor, MD — May 5, 2026 — Cilcare, a French-US biopharmaceutical company specializing in auditory science, today announced a series of major investments in the United States at the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026.
At a glance:
• Clinical trial of CIL001 in tinnitus initiated at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston)
• 3x expansion of preclinical capacity at CBSET (Massachusetts)
• Launch of a U.S. operational gateway for international biotechs
1. Cilcare biotech: a landmark clinical trial for tinnitus planned at Massachusetts General Hospital
Tinnitus affects more than 750 million people worldwide, including an estimated 50 million Americans — roughly 15% of the U.S. population. Despite this enormous burden, no approved pharmacological treatment exists to date. This unmet medical need represents one of the most significant gaps in modern neuroscience, with profound consequences on patients’ quality of life, mental health, and productivity.
Cilcare today announces a major investment in the preparation of a clinical trial of its lead drug candidate CIL001, to be conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, in partnership with the teams of Professor Stéphane Maison, an internationally recognized leader in auditory neuroscience.
This trial marks a pivotal milestone for Cilcare: the first evaluation of CIL001 in patients with chronic tinnitus on U.S. soil, with the goal of delivering a concrete therapeutic solution to the millions of patients for whom no viable treatment option currently exists.
“Massachusetts continues to be a global destination for companies looking to invest, innovate and grow,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. “Cilcare’s expansion and this new clinical trial at Massachusetts General Hospital reflect the strength of our life sciences ecosystem and the partnerships that make it possible to move breakthrough ideas into real treatments. We’re proud to support work that brings new hope to patients while driving economic growth across our state.”
2. Cilcare / CBSET partnership: nine years of collaboration, a transformative investment
Since 2017, Cilcare has maintained a close scientific partnership with CBSET, a leading preclinical biomedical research organization based in Massachusetts. Over nearly a decade, this transatlantic collaboration has generated thousands of data points on novel drug candidates and gene therapy approaches in hearing — establishing this Franco-American alliance as one of the most productive in the field.
Thanks to a major investment by Arlington Capital Partners, CBSET is set to triple its laboratory capacity. This strategic expansion gives Cilcare the ability to significantly scale up its own hearing research operations in the United States, further cementing its position as a global leader in auditory drug development.
“Our partnership with CBSET is far more than a contractual relationship — it is a shared translational engine that has driven some of our most important discoveries,” said Celia Belline, CEO of Cilcare. Arlington Capital Partners’ growth investment in CBSET is a powerful signal of confidence in our joint roadmap and in the future of hearing therapeutics.”
3. A U.S. gateway for foreign biotechs seeking their first American footprint
Having spent nine years building its presence in the Massachusetts biomedical ecosystem, Cilcare and CBSET are now uniquely positioned to offer other foreign companies — biotechs, medtech firms, technological platforms, academic spin-offs — the same privileged U.S. entry point Cilcare once benefited from.
The combination of CBSET’s expanded infrastructure and Cilcare’s operational expertise in the U.S. market creates a turnkey model for international companies: access to state-of-the-art preclinical platforms, regulatory guidance, connectivity with leading American academic centers, and access to local office and lab space.
“Cilcare is building on nearly a decade of collaboration here, expanding research capacity and deepening its presence in Massachusetts,” said Massachusetts Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. “Through our Mass Wins legislation and its GlobalMass strategy, we are making it easier for international companies to establish and grow in Massachusetts. Paired with world-class clinical partners and infrastructure, investments like this strengthen our position as a global hub for life sciences innovation.”
This hub model reflects a broader ambition: to help elevate Massachusetts to the preeminent international ecosystem for innovation and translation, particularly in the field of hearing — for the benefit of patients, science, and the global biotech community alike.
About Cilcare
Cilcare is a French biotech company dedicated to the development of innovative therapies for inner ear diseases. Built on world-class expertise in auditory neuroscience, Cilcare supports all stages of preclinical and clinical development — both for its own pipeline and for industrial and academic partners worldwide. Headquartered in Montpellier, France, Cilcare operates across Europe and the United States.
To learn more, visit www.cilcare.com and follow Cilcare on LinkedIn.
About CIL001
CIL001 is a novel investigational drug candidate targeting cochlear synaptopathy, a key mechanism involved in early-stage auditory dysfunction and tinnitus, often associated with difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments. CIL001 is advancing into Phase 2a clinical evaluation in tinnitus patients in the United States and in different patient subpopulations in Europe, as a potential disease-modifying therapy.
Media Contact
Marie PEYTAVY-IZARD, Marketing & Communication Director
marie.peytavy@cilcare.com
About CBSET
Founded in 2006, CBSET is a leading Boston-area provider of translational research and product development services for the medical device, pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and biomedical research industries. The company offers a broad range of GLP and non-GLP research services and is recognized globally for shortening product lifecycles and time-to-market for novel innovations.
For more information, visit cbset.com and follow CBSET on LinkedIn.
Media Contact
RONALD TRAHAN, PR Counsel to CBSET
ronaldtrahan@rocketmail.com
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Lien vers le communiqué de presse en français: CP FR
