Biotechnologies: a Dynamic Sector, Wide Open to International Investors

New Delhi, Delhi, June 15, 2010 – The International BIO 2010 convention, held recently in Chicago, was a chance to promote French expertise and strengths in the biotechnologies sector. The importance of the industry cannot be underestimated: almost half of all new drugs on the world market have their origins in biotechnologies. Outside healthcare, nano-biotechnologies, a cross between biotechnologies and ICT, and biotechnologies for environmental purposes are particularly promising research areas. In March next year, the French city of Nantes will play host to the Biomarine 2011 summit, devoted to marine biotechnologies, or “blue biotechnologies”.

1- A diversified industrial base. There are almost 400 biotechnology businesses in France, employing around 6,000 people, over half of whom work in R&D activities. The industry in France is ranked third in Europe after the United Kingdom and Germany. French biotech companies (Bio-Alliance, Nicox, ExonHit, Hybrigenics, etc.) are at the cutting edge of research efforts, with over 160 potential new drugs in the pipeline. In the health sector, the leading area for the application of biotechnologies, all the major foreign laboratories are already operating in France.

2- A favorable environment for partnerships. Eight innovation clusters with a biotech/health focus have been helping the sector to move forward in France since 2005, particularly by promoting interaction between manufacturers and public-sector laboratories: Lyonbiopôle (Rhône-Alpes), Medicen (Ile-de-France), Alsace BioValley (Alsace), Nutrition Health Longevity (Nord-Pas-de-Calais), Atlantic Biothérapies (Pays de la Loire), Prod’Innov (Aquitaine), Eurobiomed (Languedoc-Roussillon/Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) and Cancer-Bio-Santé (Midi-Pyrénées). These clusters are open ‘business ecosystems’ which already count around 60 foreign businesses among their members.

3- A wide range of support available. Biotechnology companies are eligible for various innovation support measures, specifically the Research Tax Credit (Crédit d’Impôt Recherche – CIR), along with financing granted to collaborative R&D projects in France’s innovation clusters, the innovative new companies (Jeunes Entreprises Innovantes - JEI) scheme, targeted support from the French Innovation Agency OSEO and calls for projects from the French National Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche).

Formed in early 2009, the National Alliance for Life Sciences and Health (Alliance Nationale pour les Sciences de la Vie et de la Santé – AVIESAN) has improved coordination between major stakeholders in the French research sector. The creation of the InnoBio fund (a partnership between France’s FSI strategic investment fund and pharmaceutical labs, with a budget of €140 million) announced at the meeting of the Strategic Committee for the Health Industries (Comité Stratégique pour les Industries de Santé – CSIS) in October 2009 has opened the door for support to innovative businesses. Since March 2009, the Alliance for Research and Innovation in the Health Industries (Alliance pour la Recherche et l’Innovation des Industries de Santé – ARIIS) has been uniting and developing public-private partnerships in the healthcare sector.

4- The longstanding presence of foreign companies. In the last ten years, 320 foreign investment projects have been recorded in the French life sciences sector. In 2009, Swiss firm Novartis set up its fourth world R&D center for oncology in France, while Genzyme also chose France (Lyon) for its latest bioproduction center, just like smaller companies such as Cellseed (Japan), or Immunoclin (UK). All have contributed to moving the sector forward. Daiichi Sankyo (Japan) has decided to increase the size of its operations in Ile-de-France (Paris region). Novo Nordisk (Denmark) and Ely Lilly (United States) have confirmed their interest in the French market, as have certain specialist medical equipment manufacturers, such as Sysmex (Japan) in diagnostics and Sorin (Italy) in cardiac implants, both of whom are making increasing use of innovative technologies.

“The dynamism of the sector owes much to the presence of leading international players, attracted simultaneously by the strength of the French market, the excellent skill base and the support available for innovation. The priority afforded to universities, research and environmental technologies in France’s future investment program will provide a further boost, encouraging new foreign companies to venture into the French market. Let us not forget either that the Nobel prize for Medicine in 2008 was awarded to Professors Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier for their work to identify the HIV virus conducted at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, and that the first high-resolution mapping of the human genome was developed at the Genopôle d’Evry by Jean Weissenbach, director of Génoscope“, notes David Appia, Chairman and CEO of the IFA.

Invest in France Agency (IFA) promotes and facilitates international investment in France. The IFA network operates worldwide. IFA works in partnership with regional development agencies to offer international investors business opportunities and customized services all over France. For more information, please visit www.investinfrance.org

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