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Members of the Biotech Social Pact call for the creation of a State Secretariat for Biotechnology

As President Macron has set the goal of developing and producing 20 biopharmaceutical products by 2030 in France, several members of the Biotech Social Pact call for the appointment of a Minister for Biotechnology in the next Government, to foster health innovation and the growth of the French biotech ecosystem.

Whereas healthcare is currently undergoing a major biotechnological revolution, marked by the imminent arrival of a new wave of disruptive treatments, which will have numerous medical, scientific, and economic benefits,

In view of the ambition of the President of the Republic, laid out in the France 2030 plan, to produce 20 biomedicines against cancers and chronic diseases, including those related to age, within the next 8 years, in order to strengthen French health and industrial sovereignty,

Given that achieving this objective will require an unprecedented effort, involving tens of billions of euros of public and private investment and the substantial strengthening of the French biotech ecosystem,

Acknowledging that France, despite its scientific excellence and the quality of its expertise and biomedical infrastructure, has weaknesses in terms of financing and has only a limited number of truly international biotechs.

Noting these young biopharmaceutical companies have played a key role in the aforementioned biotech revolution, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they were at the forefront of the global effort to develop treatments and vaccines against the virus.

Whereas other European countries have successfully promoted the attractiveness and competitiveness of their biotech ecosystems by creating dedicated governmental positions, notably in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom,

Whereas the Secretariat of State for Digital Affairs created under President Macron’s first term has played a key role both in the structuring and growth of “French Tech” and in the development of a friendly environment for the digital industry in France,

We, French and international leaders of the biotech industry, call for the creation of a State Secretariat for Biotechnology, place under the direct authority of the Ministry of Economy and Finances, in the next Government.

Based on our knowledge of the French biotech sector, and in view of the governance methods successfully implemented elsewhere in Europe, we are convinced that the creation of such a state secretariat would play a decisive role in France’s ability to (i) structure its biotech ecosystem, (ii) create national champions, (iii) relocate research and production activities on its territory, and (iv) attract the talent and funds needed to achieve the ambition of the Health Innovation 2030 Plan: “to make France the leading innovative and sovereign European nation in healthcare.”

Signatories

André CHOULIKA, CEO, Cellectis (France)

Sébastien IVA, CEO, FABENTECH (France)

Nawal OUZREN, CEO, Sensorion (France)

Georges RAWADI, Independent Board of Directors Member, Alia Therapeutics and Non-executive Strategic Board Member, Apmonia Therapeutics (France)

Thomas YBERT, CEO and Founder, DNA Script (France)

Luc DOCHEZ, Managing Partner, DROIA Ventures (Belgium)

Eric HALIOUA, President and CEO, PDC*line Pharma (Belgium)

John F. CROWLEY, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Amicus Therapeutics (US)

Ted W. LOVE, President and CEO, Global Blood Therapeutics (US)

John MARAGANORE, Former and Founding CEO, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (US)

The Biotech Social Pact gathers CEOs and leaders of biotech and life sciences who are committed to working alongside high-level policymakers and health authorities to sustainably grow the biotech ecosystem whilst ensuring timely and widespread access to innovative treatments for patients and health systems across Europe. The Biotech Social Pact does not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of the agencies, organizations, employers, or companies with which the signatories are affiliated. United in upholding common principles and beliefs, our members are diverse assembly of leading organisations that are often not represented in trade associations, including pre- and early commercial companies, venture capital firms and individual industry leaders. The BSP is not a trade association and coexists alongside existing biopharma trade associations. It aims at offering a supporting voice to emerging and rapidly growing global biotech companies and to contribute to awareness of biotech and support the biotech ecosystem at large. Up until 2023, the Biotech Social Pact was managed by Portland, a global Public Affairs company, with the financial support of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Amicus and argenx.