Biotechs: France is trying to catch up
The Stock Exchange? Biotechs believe more than ever. The Lyon Adocia, revisiting existing drugs in order to increase efficiency, was introduced Feb. 20 on the stock market. It was followed by specialists in medical imaging, Eos Imaging, which lifted the passage 38 million, and Intrasense. DBV, focused on food allergies, will jump on March 29.
The biotechnology sector health (drugs created from living organisms) and medtechs (innovative medical devices) is still dreaming investors despite stock route more or less convincing. Carmat has not implemented its first artificial human heart but it is worth 490 million euros, up over 400% from its initial listing in 2010. Genfit, which is developing a diabetes drug can be marketed in 2019, took over 57% since January 1.
Less than 25 biotech companies listed in Paris
Less than 25 biotech and medtechs are listed in Paris. It's a bit more than in the creation of the Next Biotech Index in 2008. But their market capitalization weighs only 2.2 billion euros, far from the 4.7 billion euros at the time. The French biotechnology remains microscopic facing a global industry that weighs nearly 270 billion and the stock market rose nearly 15% in one year. A universe dominated by real heavyweights. Amgen, the American champion, worth 54 billion, Genzyme was acquired last year by Sanofi for $ 20 billion.
"France has completely missed the turn biotech thirty years ago. She gradually recovers from five to eight years, "says a pharmaceutical boss. No large company has, for now, emerged from French soil. But "the Hexagon biotech together weigh as heavy as the largest laboratories," said Andre Choulika, President of France Biotech. Nearly 280 biotech and medtechs use from 5000 to 6000 employees in the Hexagon. They develop over 270 products, primarily for human health, divided almost equally between drugs, diagnostic products and innovative medical devices.
But how many medicines will emerge? Fifteen products are already from the French biotech today, says France Biotech. The mucoadhesive buccal tablet Loramyc BioAlliance is. Cationorm for the symptoms of dry eye is another example. It is produced by Novagali, a biotech acquired in September 2011 by the Japanese Santen. But the vast majority of these companies still sells no products. The total turnover of some 20 listed biotech and active in health averaged just 112 million euros in 2010. The prize goes to BioAlliance, with 22.5 million sales. Yet medtechs fared rather better than biotech. Gestation of innovative medical equipment is often shorter and less random than drugs.
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