focus on life sciences in provence

MAy 2012
NEWS
T h e
p rov e n c e
pa rt n e r s h i p
© Altedia
w w w. t h e p rove n c e p a r t n e r s h i p. c o m
FOCUS ON LIFE SCIENCES IN PROVENCE
INNOVATION AND FINANCING
IN PROVENCE
SATT: A €78 M Boost for Technology Transfer
The SATT Paca Corse (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Corsica
Technology Transfer Accelerator) is the fruit of a project carried
by the Valorpaca association and coordinated by Aix-Marseille
Université, the purpose of which is to promote technology
transfer.
SATT Paca Corse brings together 8 stakeholder research
institutions representing a potential pool of more than 6000
researchers with a budget of €78 M, the largest such financing
granted to any SATT organization.
As the preferred interface between public research laboratories
and industry, the SATT Paca Corse’s aims are three-fold :
federate the structures promoting technology transfer, increase
the level of innovation within businesses and contribute to the
region’s economic development by creating innovating startups and new jobs in partnership with the business incubators.
The SATT PACA provides a link between pure research and
industry by ensuring that discoveries are taken through to
maturity so that results are translated into patent applications
or the acquisition of other intellectual property rights.
Thanks to the launch of the SATTs, France – and in particular
the PACA Region, which has a remarkable life sciences
research pool (the second largest in France) – has become a
world leader in terms of innovation.
It is worth quoting here Dr Ashley J. Stevens, the outgoing
president of the AUTM (Association of Universities Technology
Managers) and co-founder of the Massachusetts Association
of Technology Transfer Offices. When asked what strategy
university chancellors should put in place to develop technology
transfer, he replied, “ One of the main changes over the past
five or ten years has been the increasing importance of translational research. I think the right strategy is the one adopted
by France with its technology transfer accelerators (SATTs),
one that involves setting aside a portion of public funds for
translational research. ”
http://satt.fr/
BIOTECHNOLOGIES AND
FUNDRAISING
Provepharm raises €2.7 M for its international expansion
The year 2011 was an eventful one for Provepharm. After receiving marketing
authorization from the European Medicines Agency in May for Proveblue®,
the company signed an exclusivity contract in November with the Japanese
laboratory Daiichi Sankyo (n° 20 worldwide).
The climax of the year came in December, when Provepharm finalized
a €2.7 M funding drive with Viveris Management, with €1.6 M coming
from Sofipaca, Paca Investissement and the balance from private investors.
Thanks to this financing capacity, Provepharm can now concentrate on its
future development. This will include the construction of new 17,000 sq. ft.
headquarters in Marseilles and the creation of a subsidiary based in New
York. http://www.provepharm.com/
ICDD Raises €800,000 to Further International
Development and Research
ICDD (Innovative Concepts in Drug Development), the biotechnology company specializing in predictive toxicology, has just completed an €800,000
fundraising operation with Paca Investissement, Grand Delta Angels and
Var Business Angels.
“These funds will allow us to accelerate our sales development, including
the creation of a US subsidiary. We shall also continue our research efforts
to identify diagnostic markers for Alzheimer’s, thanks to our partnerships
with the AP-HM (Marseilles hospital authority) and Montpellier University, ”
explains ICDD’s founder, Dr. Nathalie Compagnone.
Founded in 2007, ICDD has focused its work on lowering the risk factor
involved in developing new drugs through the early detection of serious
side effects thanks to a range of biomarkers known as the Mitostream®
technology. This solution, which has been validated by the Drug Safety
Executive Council, has enhanced the young French company’s profile on
the US market with contacts being made with the world’s top ten manufacturers. www.icdd-sas.com
Second Successful Fundraising Campaign Nets €450 k For
AmiKana BioLogics
Founded in 2008 by Pablo Gluschankof, doctor in biochemistry and
researcher at the CNRS, the Marseilles-based firm AmiKana BioLogics,
specializing in HIV diagnosis and treatment, has just completed a successful
fundraising campaign that has raised €450 k.
The company’s novel approach to diagnostic testing – a complete departure
from the existing technology - has managed to convince a number of regional
investors. Coordinated by Alumni Business Angels, the fundraising campaign brought together Var BA, the SCR CDPS, the SCR
Provençale et Corse and PACA Investissement.
Thanks to this new round of financing, AmiKana BioLogics will be able to
complete the marketing of its first diagnostic test for HIV drug resistance
in 2013. The young company expects annual turnover to reach €5 M by 2018.
www.amkbiol.com
TESTIMONIAL
sanofi-aventis and the institut mérieux. the Cma-CGm, the world’s
3rd largest shipping group, is also involved in the project in the field
of travel-related diseases.
THE IHU MÉDITERRANÉE INFECTION:
SCIENTIFIC ASSET AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT TOOL
What services will the foundation provide to its corporate partners?
marseilles will soon be home to the ihu méditerranée infection,
a university hospital institute unique in europe. to achieve its ambitious
aims, the project has been granted financing of €73.2 m, a first for
france. the project is being carried by the université de la méditerranée and the aP-hm (marseilles hospital authority), coordinated by
Prof. Didier raoult and chaired by Dr. Yolande obadia. the activities will be housed in a new, 215,000 sq. ft. “ intelligent ” building
(of which more than 100,000 sq. ft. dedicated to research) on the
la timone health Campus. as a center of excellence in infectious
and tropical diseases, the ihu méditerranée infection will be firmly
focused on developing countries while acting as a significant tool for
local economic development and enhancing international prestige.
Prof. Jean-marc rolain, a microbiologist and specialist in infectious
diseases at la timone, details the future institute’s contribution to
both science and the economy.
The IhU Méditerranée Infection claims to be unique in europe.
In what way?
Prof. Jean-Marc Rolain: By the pooling of its strengths! the novel
approach of the project is in the way it brings together several disciplines in the study of infectious diseases. researchers from several
different spheres are involved: epidemiologists and microbiologists,
but also specialists in the fields of human and social sciences,
anthropology and mathematics. furthermore, the fondation
méditerranée infection brings together major corporations such as
Prof. Jean-Marc Rolain: they will have a 10,000 sq. ft. space set
aside for them and they will be given access to the eight technology
platforms and the ihu’s biobanks. they will be able to conduct surveys
among groups of patients for the purposes of validating diagnostic or
therapeutic tests. Public-private partnership contracts could involve
licensing agreements and/or patent applications or the financing of
theses in a joint supervision arrangement. foundation members will
have right of first access to the scientific discoveries resulting from
research projects.
What is the stated aim of these partnerships?
Prof. Jean-Marc Rolain: one of our priorities is the promotion of
translational research, with at stake 1000 published papers, 50 patent
applications and the creation of four start-ups over the next five years.
the foundation is a “ Petri dish ” providing the perfect medium for
businesses to develop. thanks to the ihu méditerranée infection,
marseilles - already well-placed nationally and internationally in
terms of health infrastructure - should soon be among the leading
international players in the sector. however, and beyond these sole
indicators, the aim being pursued is to enable patients to benefit as
quickly as possible from the discoveries that fundamental research
brings.
http://www.ifr48.com/
http://fr.ap-hm.fr/ap-hm/enjeux/ihu-mediterranee-infection
FINANCIAL PARTNERS
FACTS & FIGURES
PAcA InVeSTISSeMenT
lIfe ScIenceS In ProVence: fAcTS & fIgUreS
a co-investment fund created in 2009 by the Provence-alpes-Côte
d’azur regional authority with an initial capital of €12 m (including
€6 m erDf), Paca investissement now has a total of €15.45 m at
its disposal. this innovative fund is designed to provide financing for
smes during their start-up, initial and development phases. the fund is
managed by an independent fund manager, turenne Capital.
• 4500 Life Science researchers, 1500 PhD students 400 life
science companies (incl. 70 biotechnology);
• N°2 area in France for life science research, n°2 area for new
business creation, n°2 area for clinical trials;
• local resources: eurobiomed biocluster, Cancéropôle (regional
cancer center), CerimeD imaging platform, ihu méditerranée
infection
AlUMnI BUSIneSS AngelS
founded in 2006 in aix-en-Provence, alumni Business angels is an
association bringing together fifty or so investors (entrepreneurs,
business executives, independent professionals and elite school
graduates). since its founding, alumni Business angels has carried
out 12 financing operations, investing a total of €1.7 m in young,
innovating enterprises in the region, which will lead to the creation
of around 200 direct jobs in the PaCa region. www.alumni-ba.com
fIelDS of eXcellence
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infectious, tropical and emerging diseases;
rare and orphan diseases;
medical devices, biomarkers & diagnosis;
immunology & its therapeutic applications;
treatment and care in the fields of ageing, neurological diseases
and handicaps.
in the area of medical devices, the main fields concerned are medical
imaging (linked to Provence’s expertise in optics-photonics), diagnostic,
biomechanics, it for healthcare and instrumentation.
© AP-HM
CONTACT THE “PROVENCE PARTNERSHIP”
Matthieu vis +33 (0)4 96 11 60 25 / m.vis@provence-promotion.fr
+33 (0)4 96 11 60 00 / provence-promotion@provence-promotion.fr
www.theprovencepartnership.com
PROVENCE PROMOTION
economic development agency
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Bp 45607 - 13567 Marseille
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