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EDITORIAL |
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New Partnership Agreements Signed With Génome-Québec
I am delighted to report that Genopole is intensifying its relationship with Quebec genomics experts through two partnership agreements with Génome-Québec.
These agreements were signed in Paris in the presence of Quebec’s Prime Minister, Mr. Philippe Couillard, also as part of the bilateral meetings held annually between the Prime Ministers of France and Quebec.
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A first agreement was penned by GIP Genopole, which is the non-for-profit organisation that I lead and which is the promoter and facilitator of the development of our biocluster at large.
Our agreement with Génome-Québec pertains more specifically to fostering increased exchanges between our respective networks of omics experts as well as furthering collaborative projects between our research centers and companies. The agreement details a road map that was defined through a series of meetings held over the last year by the parties. The second agreement with Génome-Québec was signed by the CEA (the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), one of France’s elite research organisations.
The CEA houses the National Research Center on Human Genomics, headed by Jean-François Deleuze, and that lives at Genopole. The agreement between CEA and Génome-Québec targets the identification of genetic variants in normal and diseased populations between the French-Canadians and the French. These agreements are part of Genopole’s international development objectives as we seek to nurture more connections with clusters and organisations outside France.
The focus is on structuring partnerships in which our own research institutions and companies can leverage their assets, or can build collaborative projects. Our emphasis is on applications related to personalised medicine, regenerative medicine and synthetic biology.
Just as with the agreement signed with Montreal’s Neomed in 2017, we are also looking for reciprocal soft landing arrangements for companies wishing to develop transatlantic business.
Jean-Marc Grognet, CEO
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WHAT'S NEW AT GENOPOLE |
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Key Milestone Reached in
the Audi – Global Bioenergies Partnership
Global Bioenergies and German carmaker Audi have announced that a key milestone was reached in their multi-year agreement that targets the production and shipment of renewable gasoline components.
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Global Bioenergies’ high-purity renewable isobutene was produced in its Leuna demonstration plant (Germany) before being further converted by the Fraunhofer Institute into high-performance gasoline additives including isooctane, ETBE and isododecane.
These e-fuels are used in engine testing by Audi.
Global Bioenergies is planning to increase significantly its e-fuel production capacity in 2019 with the addition to the Leuna plant of a dedicated fuel production unit, for the production of renewable gasoline batches.
Audi’s objective in partnering with Global Bioenergies is to develop sustainable e-benzin for its customers, as a voluntary contribution by the carmaker to reducing the automotive carbon footprint.
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NEWS FROM THE BIOCLUSTER COMPANIES |
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Texcell Expanding Its Commercial Presence in Japan
Texcell has recently announced that it is opening a subsidiary in Tokyo to offer its viral security services solution to the Japanese biotech and pharmaceutical industry.
Texcell is now present on three continents, following its expansion outside France and into Frederick/Maryland in 2012, and the acquisition of Germany’s VivoScience in 2016.
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InnovaFeed Raises 15 Million Euros to Deploy Large Scale Insect Production System
InnovaFeed is a leader in the production of insect-derived proteins for use in aquaculture.
This last 15m-euro round of financing by AlterEquity3P, Finovam Gestion, Nord Création (Group IRD), Nord France Amorçage and several entrepreneurs will be used to launch a second production unit.
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It is planned to be ten times larger than the Hauts-de-France facility opened in mid-2017, and which is already the largest insect production complex in Europe with a capacity of 1 000 tons per year.
With the deficit in high quality proteins poised to reach 60 million tons by 2030, protein production is rapidly becoming a key nutritional challenge.
In Europe, the situation is particularly precarious as 80% of crop protein (mostly soybean meal) is imported. That is where insects, with their ability to convert low-value biomass into high-quality proteins, come into play.
InnovaFeed’s announcement is timely as 2018 also marks a milestone year for the development of the insect production industry in Europe since new regulations allowing the use of insect protein in aquaculture come into force this year.
InnovaFeed’s process, developed in its R&D Genopole-based facility, combines state-of-the-art zootechnical research as applied to Hermitia Illucens, an insect with exceptional nutritional qualities that can be fed by-products from the agro-industry. This process makes it possible to valorize resources that are widely available and with few outlets. With current wild fish stocks proving insufficient to meet the growing needs of aquaculture, InnovaFeed’s thrust is to contribute to the rise of sustainable aquaculture and the preservation of oceanic resources.
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SCIENTIFIC NEWS |
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Gene Therapy Trial in a Rare Liver Disease |
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Généthon is sponsoring a phase I/II clinical trial to test a gene therapy treatment for the rare liver disease Crigler-Najjar Syndrome (CNS), The trial will include 17 patients tested in four centres across Europe France (Prof Labrune - Hôpital Béclère in Clamart), Italy (Prof Brunetti-Pierri – Hôpital Federico II, Prof d’Antiga - Azienda Ospedaliera Papa Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo) and the Netherlands (Prof Beuers - Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam). |
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NETWORKING |
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2nd Boston/Paris Biotechnology Summit™ on Sunday June, 3, 2018 in Boston
The second edition of Boston/Paris Biotechnology Summit - titled From the Promise of Raising Capital to the Reality of Clinical Trials - is taking place in Boston, on Sunday June 3, 2018, just prior to this year's BIO-2018.
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Genopole is also sponsoring the 2018 Summit and Dr. Denis Gauvreau, our Director of International Affairs, is a Member of the Summit’s Group of Expert Advisors.
Although this event is especially designed for French entrepreneurs, it is open to all.
The programme includes 25 expert speakers who are acclaimed biotechnology leaders - e.g., Dr. Mark Murcko, record-holder with 7 drugs developed and taken to Market; Professor Kenneth Kaitin, of Tufts Center for Study of Drug Development; Dr. Joseph Merola, Director of Clinical Trials at Harvard Medical School, Veleka Peeples-Dyer, Co-Leader of FDA Practice at MWE in Boston.
The Summit provides excellent international networking opportunities as participants come from over 100 biotechnology organizations and also include Boston-based investors in life sciences. |
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Meet Genopole at BIO 2018
Genopole representatives will be present in Boston to attend BIO-2018.
You will be able to find us at the French pavilion - booth #527 - under the Business France banner. Several Genopole companies will also be attending BIO-2018, i.e., Acticor, Algobiotech, Endodiag, Genosafe, PEP-Therapy, and YposKesi.
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Genopole Was at BIOKET 2018
Genopole was present this year at BIOKET - BIO-economy's Key Enabling Technologies conference - that was held in Strasburg, France.
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The event was organised by IAR, France’s leading industrial biotechnology network operating out of the Champagne region.
This international conference focuses on process innovation for biomass conversion using emerging and key enabling technologies ranging from synthetic biology to thermochemical treatments.
At BIOKET, one could see how technologies developed for human applications are now crossing over to other fields in life science, and transiting from academic labs into plant experimentation.
This was patently the case with CRISPR-Cas9 - as a genome editing technology – that was mentioned several times in various talks, and that allows for tremendous gains in time and furthering original process developments. |
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UPCOMING |
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Don’t Miss: Genopole’s Summer School : June 24-29, 2018
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Genopole's Summer School on Bioinformatics And Biostatistical Tools In Medical Genomics will be held on June 24-29, 2018.
The program is structured around lectures by keynote and guest speakers as well as hands-on practical sessions with experts.
It covers statistical methodologies and bioinformatics tools that are used in genomics and metagenomics for a comprehensive approach to understanding pathological mechanisms. |
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The Summer School is intended for research scientists, engineers and PhDs already involved in, or planning to start, research projects in the field of genomics for medical research.
This is a residential summer school with all lectures and sessions taking place on the campus of Châteauform’ Les Berges-de-Seine, a beautiful countryside resort located a stone’s throw from Paris.
Participants will be hosted on campus with accommodation and meals included in the registration fees. The Summer School is limited to 20 participants and applicants must complete a selection form providing a short description of their current (or planned) research projects.
A working knowledge of UNIX (use of UNIX commands, creation and modification of files…) is mandatory for the practical sessions. |
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AND ALSO |
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AFM-Telethon’s Final Count for December 2017’s Telethon : 89.2 Million Euros
The French population remains faithful and committed to AFM-Telethon’s pursuits, as well as convinced and generous with a total tally of 89,189,384 euros to help in its fight against disorders.
As reported by its President Laurence Tiennot-Herment, nearly an additional €15 million were collected in the three months following the 75,626,180 euros registered on the telethon’s screen after the weekend of December 2-3, 2017. |
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AFM-Telethon has been a very active member of Genopole’s community over the decades and eight gene therapy products issued from its Genethon laboratories are currently in clinical trials in tens of patients plagued by rare disorders affecting the normal functions of muscle, blood, immune system, and vision. |
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Publication of « The Ingenuity of Genes »
2018 marks a special milestone in Genopole’s development as we are celebrating 20 years of achievements in biotechnological developments in-and-around Evry.
" Le génie des gènes " is now available in its English translation.
" The Ingenuity of Genes " is co-authored by Laurianne Geffroy and Pierre Tambourin, who was the founding CEO of Genopole.
The book covers the wide spectrum of genomics applications in health and environment. |
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