Universal Medica Group is pleased to announce the launch of Universal Biotech and its Innovation Grant, taking place at the evening of January 27th, 2009.  

The entire team at Universal Medica Group welcomed to Evergreen Hotel professional guests, representing the pharmaceutical industry and the biotechnology sector, to participate in the launch of Universal Biotech and its Innovation Grant.

A word from the President:

“Companies of tomorrow encourage the innovations of today”
Today, in the health industry there are no objections to the blockbuster model that achieved considerable profits.  The time has come to rethink our economic model.  Europe must take advantage of the current economic situation as an opportunity in revitalizing innovation.
The launch of Universal Biotech with its Innovation Grant represents the persistent work and constant ambition at the service of innovation.
The Universal Biotech Grant for Innovation is an initiative by Universal Medica Group whose goal is to encourage innovative talent and the development of new procedures, or, products in the biotechnological industry.
Rafi Mardachti
President General Director of Universal Medica Group

An evening rich in interventions

Guests were first welcomed to attend a presentation of relevant individuals who are active in the field of innovation and biotechnologies, and who additionally took part in the Innovation Grant as members of the jury.

The undeniable place of biotechnologies in Health-Pharmacy:  Issues and perspectives

“The profound changes in the pharmaceutical world industry leads today the industry of biotechnology in taking over innovations for the development of new drugs”

Rafi Mardachti, in addressing the audience, began by reminding us of the main numbers in the biotechnology sector for the 2007 year:
•    The world business numbers of the biotechnology industry have increased by 6% compared to 2006.
•    In 2007, the biotechnologies industry had marketed 5 “Blockbusters”, which have grossed one million US dollars each, taking up the Top 5 place in the world.

Regarding the field of innovation in France, Mr. Mardachti asked to recall the fact that France occupies the 5th place concerning registrations for drug patents, after the United States, Japan, Germany, and Great Britain.
These varied facts, and the expertise recognized in the Health-Pharmacy sector established by Universal Medica, as a biotech expert in the strategy and management of biotechnologies,  have led them to develop a new structure.  Universal Biotech therefore ranks itself in partnership with participants of biotechnologies entities by offering its resources in consulting, assistance, and help services in the decision process dealing with strategy, finance, management, and marketing.

This evening also offered the opportunity to present the Universal Biotech Innovation Grant, which aims at supporting and encouraging excellence in biotechnological innovations. 

Rafi Mardachti also presented the main elements of this unique event:
•    The proposed themes will focus on the biotechnological health sector
•    The innovations considered for the Grant will be judged on their scientific quality and their surplus value creation potential
•    The introductions of the candidates are foreseen to take place in mid-February
•    The awarding of the Grant will take place at the 2009 Eurobio Congress, from 23 to 25 September 2009, in the city of Lille (France).

For this event, an exceptional jury has been gathered.
For the year 2009, the jury will be under the adjudication of Mr. Jean Derégnaucourt
The jury is made up of French and European personalities from renowned institutions

Jury composition:

Gilles BLOCH - General Director of Research and Innovations Department– French Ministry of Higher Level Education and Research
Patrick CHAUSSEPIED - Coordinator of the Biology Health department– ANR
Jean DEREGNAUCOURT – President of the Innovation Grant Jury
Véronique DUFEY - Director of the promotion of Ifremer
Jacques GRASSI - Director of the "Technologies for health" Institute - CEA/INSERM
Jean Marc GROGNET - Deputy Director at DGE : "Industries and Technologies of the Living, Chemistry, and Materials" – Scientific Director of the Technological Research Office– CEA
Stéphane HOGAN - Head of Coordination Unit, Directorate Health research, DG Research, European Commission.
Olivier LALAUDE –Medical Director:  Merck Sharp & Dohme   
Pierre Noël LIRSAC – President of Adebiotech
Rafi MARDACHTI – CEO of  Universal Medica Group
Pierre TAMBOURIN – General Director of Génopôle
Etienne VERVAECKE – General Director of Eurasanté

Did you say “Crisis”?

“Investments on the stock market said to be at risk in biotechnologies, have suffered the least from the economic crisis in 2008, in comparison with the traditional stable and unstable stocks.  A unique environment for research in biothechnology in 2009”

Jean Derégnaucourt
President of the Universal Biotech Innovation Grant Jury

Jean Derégnaucourt has taken the opposite direction of the surrounding atmosphere, and has chosen to speak of the facts that make the research environment in biotechnology attractive for 2009.
Indeed, in 2008, approvals of new products by the FDA have increased by 33% compared to 2007.  In addition, according to the Leem’s report, 31 therapeutic situations have benefited from the sensible improvements in 2008, particularly in the fields of cancer, infections and rare diseases.

Furthermore, innovations in biotechnologies remain as an essential goal, because many needs are still not covered, especially for degenerative diseases and rare illnesses.

Also, according to Jean Derégnaucourt, research in biotechnology benefits a unique environment for 2009 thanks to numerous initiatives, public ones like the Crédit Impôt Recherche, the Oséo contest, the program ISI, the demand for collaborative projects l’ANR, and other central projects, …

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The National Strategy of Research and Innovation (SNRI)

“Today’s research and innovation suffer from a lack of organization”

Isabelle Diaz
General Direction of Research and Innovation Department
French Ministry of Higher Level Education and Research

Isabelle Diaz recalls the official report carried out by the government about the research in France, and the origin of SNRI; lack of real strategy at the national level in matters of research and innovation, public research spread out at the same time operational and agencies of means, a weak academic research and the evaluation outcomes and the transfer of technology that are not to par.

According to this report, a pilot committee was established in October 2008, in order to develop the following strategy over the 2009-2019 period surrounding 4 groups of challenges:
•    Challenges in society
•    Challenges of knowledge
•    Challenges linked to the mastery of key technologies
•    Organizational challenges

Isabelle Diaz therefore highlights the expected results by setting up the SNRI:

•    A strengthening of universities with the LRU and the title of research-professors
•    An environment of complete reconfigured research
•    The increase in power of financing through projects (ANR, Oséo Innovation, ISI…)

Innovation, a necessity in Europe

“Developing EU policies in the field of research and development of technology, and in turn, contributing to competition within the European industry”

Stéphane Hogan presented the 7th Research and Development Framework Program and in particular the specific program of Cooperation where the goal is to stimulate the cooperation and strengthen the links between the industry and research in a transnational framework.  One of the 9 themes of this program is Health, with a budget of €6.1 billion over 7 years (2007-2013) and of which their objectives are:
•    Improve the health of citizens
•    Increase competitiveness of the industry and actions tied to health in Europe
•    Tackling the problems in global health, as well as emerging epidemics

Stéphane Hogan has notably developed one of the alliances of research in this Health theme, which is “Biotechnology, Generic and Technological Tools”.  This activity will develop and recognize the tools and technologies necessary for producing new knowledge, and their transfer in practical applications in the field of health and medicine.

Stéphane Hogan concluded in presenting 2 cross-political priorities from the 7th Research and Development Framework Program:  which are the measures of reinforcement taken in favor of SMEs and the international cooperation.  Mr. Hogan highlighted the importance of insuring the development of research findings (financed by the EU) and SME’s key role it plays.

Assistance to the R&D in France: A favorable policy for the development of businesses.

“The endeavor in innovation today is at the origin of the economic forces of tomorrow”

After mentioning that innovation is at the heart of economic competition, Jean-Marc Grognet devoted himself to presenting the different public aids of R&D partnership in France, supporting 3 points:
•    Specialized counters, like the ANR or OSEO Innovation where the strategy is supporting the high-risk innovative projects and giving a new push to R&D of average and intermediate businesses
•    A tax incentive, like that of Crédit Impôt Recherche (CIR), giving more incentive in the finance laws of 2008 and determined by the volume of R&D reported by businesses, or the Young Innovative Business (JEI) plan, that allows companies to benefit from tax exemptions on benefits and from property and/or professional tax as well as tax exemptions of social employer assessments.
•    The Fond Unique Interministériel (FUI), for the center for competitiveness, which finances collaborative projects of R&D (several companies and at least one public research laboratory)   authored by a center of competitiveness or co-authored by several centers.

Jean-Marc Grognet concludes in highlighting that this political innovation adopted by France has the objective of developing the competitiveness of the French economy and promoting growth and employment.

An amazing buffet

To end the exceptional evening on a high note, Rafi Mardachti then invited his guests to a buffet, during which they discovered with pleasure the delights of the Persian cuisine.

The entire team at Universal Medica Group thanked the guests at this event for sharing in this occasion.