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Print Edition StoriesTuesday, June 17, 2008
From the BIO floor: Bay State to partner R&D with French regions
By Catherine Williams, Special to Mass High Tech
Live from BIO 2008: Josh Boger, president and CEO, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Massachusetts and French officials plan to unveil a two-year biotechnology research and development partnership on Thursday at the BIO 2008 International Conference in San Diego.
The partnership is between Massachusetts and three regions in France — Lyon, Toulouse and Alsace — that specialize in cancer research. The agreement, however, is not limited to cancer research, said Christa Bleyleben, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment (MOITI).
The memorandum of understanding, according to officials at the Consulate General of France in Boston, is between the private sector, academic and research institutions and financial and venture-capital groups. University cooperation exists between French institutions and MIT, Boston University and the University of Massachusetts.
French companies located in Cambridge include Sanofi-aventis, BioMerieux and Genfit. Bay State biotechnology companies with French ties include Genzyme Corp. and Millipore Corp., according to French officials.
“We hope this leads companies active in these sectors to locate in Massachusetts,” said Bleyleben.
The agreement came out of meetings initially held at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Conference held in Boston last year, French officials said.
Bleyleben said similar partnerships have led to technology transfer opportunities, research collaborations and service agreements between nations. In 2005, Gov. Mitt Romney signed a research and development agreement between Massachusetts and the Lombardy region of Italy. Since the signing, the Italian government has hired four Bay State companies to assist a handful of Italian hospitals with clinical trials projects.
“We’re selling our expertise and knowledge,” said Bleyleben.
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