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(Last updated: 21 Oct 2008)
Trends and opportunities
The market
One of the key strengths of the French biotechnology industry is the number of research institutions, technology parks and scientific personnel active in the industry. France ranks second in the number of full-time researchers working in the life sciences sector after Germany. It also ranks fourth in the world in the number of scientific works published every year.
This has facilitated technology transfer from academic institutions to the private sector which is a key component of the French industry. French law also provides tax credits and other financial mechanisms to encourage companies to hire young scientists.
There are seven biopoles (biotechnology centres) out of the total 71 competition clusters in France that were awarded competitiveness labels by the government and which encourage local, regional and also international cooperation in support of industry growth.
Each individual cluster focuses on specific activities:
- Lyon BioPole (Rhône-Alpes): infectious diseases, vaccines and diagnostics (World dimension)
- Medicen Paris Region (île de France): neurology, cancer, CNS, infectious diseases, imaging, molecular and cellular therapies, drug development
- Nutrition Santé Longévité (Nord Pas de Calais): nutrition, healthcare and longevity
- Atlantic Biothérapies (Pays de la Loire): biotherapy, biodiagnostics
- Innovations thérapeutiques (Alsace): genomics, drugs, non-invasive surgery, medical devices
- CancerBioSanté (Midi-Pyrénées, Limousin): cancer
- Orphème (PACA, Languedoc-Roussillon): emerging pathologies and orphan diseases
In addition to these biopoles, there are eight genopoles specialising in genomics and post-genomics research, organised in a national network. These genopoles bring together large public laboratories, university laboratories and advanced teaching in the fields of genomics and biology and biotechnology companies. They aim to encourage large-scale and cross-disciplinary research in projects in biological sciences and incubate innovative biotechnology companies. They are located in:
- Evry/Ile de France
- Montpellier and Perpignan/Languedoc Roussillon
- Lille/Nord Pas de Calais
- Lyon and Grenoble/Rhône-Alpes
- Marseille & Nice/PACA
- Strasbourg/Alsace-Lorraine
- Toulouse/Midi-Pyrénées (Toulouse has also developed Agrobiopole, a 300-hectare complex focusing on agricultural biotechnology, as part of the region’s biotechnology strategy)
- Rennes and Nantes/Ouest
Opportunities
Specific opportunities for Australian biotechnology companies include:
- Drug discovery and development – opportunity to initiate collaborative research partnerships, technology transfer agreements or licensing ventures.
- Collaborative research partnerships, technology transfer agreements and licensing.
- Companies with product commercialisation, business and financial expertise to partner with early stage research companies and institutions.
Biotech products related to animal food, vegetal production and environment are minimally investigated by French companies and Australian companies could therefore find opportunities for these types of products.
Competitive environment
The French biotechnology industry is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises, accounting for 70 per cent of the companies. There are also a number of leading multinationals active in the market including Aventis-Pasteur, Roche Diagnostics and Sanofi-Synthelabo.
The dominant French companies in the market (in terms of revenue) are LFB, Ethypharm Group, CEREP, Flamel Technologies, Rhobio and Genfit. Five public biotechnology companies are Genset, Nicox, Transgene, Sangstat, Cerep, Eurofins and Flamel.
Australia has a strong international reputation for its quality of science and as a source of intellectual capital. Several French biotechnology and biotechnology application companies have invested in Australia, and CSIRO has its European research centre in Montpellier. Australia’s expertise in stem cell research and overall biodiversity is recognised by leading French research organisations and the biotechnology industry.
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Tariffs, regulations and customs
All European Union (EU) countries are covered by a harmonised trade system. Common Customs Tariff (CCT) is applicable to goods from non-EU countries, including Australia. Goods travelling between EU countries member states are free of customs duty. Most duties are ad valorem (%), based on the GATT Valuation Code (approximate CIF value).
Certain products will need to comply with pan-European legislation for medical devices, medicines, foods and ingredients. There are also local variations in legislation, packaging and labelling that need careful consideration before shipping samples or final products.
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Marketing your products and services
Market entry
The main methods of market entry for biotechnology companies looking at France are:
- Supply of products or raw materials
- Collaborative research partnerships with French company/institution
- Investment into France
Supplying to a European company is the traditional market entry strategy and a good option to consider for companies with products that can be easily combined by French end-users. Pharmaceutical companies are likely to be a major end-user. You can develop relationships with these companies via licensing, sales, contracting or R&D services.
Collaborating with French biotechnology/pharmaceutical companies and research institutions, often in the development phase. These relationships can take the form of:
- Technology transfers
- Licensing agreements
- Co-development (platform development through to product pipeline)
- Co-marketing
- Capital risk investment (this is entirely private in France) – In 1999, €155 million of capital risk investments was spent in 167 projects within the biotechnology sector.
Investing in France may be necessary in order to gain access to venture capital funding or research collaborations. This could take the form of setting up a branch of your company overseas, or acquiring a suitable French company.
Attending the yearly fair EuroBio in Lille is also a good way to meet bioscience and bioindustry stakeholders from Europe and across the World.
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Contact details
The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) is the Australian Government’s trade and investment development agency, operating as a statutory agency within the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio.
Austrade assists Australian businesses contribute to national prosperity by succeeding in trade and investment, internationally, and promoting and supporting productive foreign investment into Australia.
Austrade:
- Delivers services that assist Australian businesses initiate, sustain and grow trade and outward investment.
- Promotes Australia as an inward investment destination and, with the States and Territories, supports the inflow of productive foreign direct investment.
- Administers the Export Market Development Grants scheme.
- Undertakes initiatives designed to improve community awareness of, and commitment to, international trade and investment.
- Provides advice to the Australian Government on its trade and investment development activities.
- Delivers consular, passport and other government services in designated overseas locations.
A list of Austrade offices (in alphabetical order of country) is available.
More information
For further information please contact Austrade on 13 28 78 or email info@austrade.gov.au |
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