ARATANA THERAPEUTICS NV

Their core work

Aratana Therapeutics NV is a Belgian biotech SME based in Heverlee (near Leuven) specialising in antiviral drug discovery and development. Their work targets virus control in production animals — diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and swine fever that cause large-scale economic damage to livestock industries. The company's current identity appears to be Okapi Sciences (okapi-sciences.com), reflecting a rebranding while retaining the same scientific mission. They operate at the intersection of veterinary medicine and pharmaceutical R&D, bringing small-company agility to an area where large pharma has limited commercial incentive.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

With only two projects, both starting in 2015 and no keyword data available, a meaningful evolution analysis is not possible from the H2020 record alone. What can be said is that the company entered the H2020 programme at an early stage with a clear, consistent focus on antiviral therapeutics for animals — there is no observable pivot or diversification within this dataset. The rebranding to Okapi Sciences visible in their current web presence may signal a strategic repositioning, but this falls outside the CORDIS data.

With both projects dated to 2015 and no later H2020 participation recorded, the company either matured beyond EU grant funding or shifted its funding strategy — the rebranding to Okapi Sciences suggests the core scientific mission persists.

How they like to work

Aratana has played both roles within its limited H2020 footprint — coordinating the SME Instrument FACTs project independently and joining the large ANTIVIRALS training network as a partner. Their involvement in an MSCA-ITN consortium (typically 10–15 partners) shows willingness to work within academic-led networks, likely contributing industry know-how and hosting early-stage researchers. For a two-person to small-team SME, 12 unique partners across 7 countries from just two projects indicates they punch above their weight in network building.

Aratana has collaborated with 12 unique partners across 7 countries despite only two projects, suggesting engagement in well-connected European research consortia. The ANTIVIRALS MSCA network likely accounts for most of this breadth, spanning academic and industry partners across multiple EU member states.

What sets them apart

Aratana / Okapi Sciences occupies a rare niche: an SME combining pharmaceutical-grade drug development with a veterinary focus on farm animals, a space largely ignored by mainstream pharma. Their Leuven location gives access to one of Europe's densest biotech ecosystems (VIB, KU Leuven spin-off network), and their early-stage SME Instrument grant validates external peer review of their concept. For a consortium needing an industry partner with hands-on antiviral development experience outside the human medicine mainstream, this company offers a credible and specialised profile.

Highlights from their portfolio

• FACTs
  As coordinator of this SME Instrument Phase 1 project, Aratana demonstrated the commercial maturity to lead an EU-funded feasibility study — rare for a small biotech — focused on fast-acting antiviral strategies for production animal diseases.
• ANTIVIRALS
  Participation in this multi-country MSCA European Training Network confirms that Aratana was recognised by top academic antiviral research groups as a credible industry host and scientific partner.