Servier is reinforcing its presence in the United States by opening its first office, Servier BioInnovation, in the Boston area. Located in the heart of the international life sciences cluster in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the facility will identify R&D opportunities and intensify Business Development & Licencing (BD&L) activities in the United States.

The American pharmaceutical market represents 47 percent^[1] of the global market. Operating on this market is therefore crucial for all industry players, particularly in the field of oncology, one of Servier’s priority research areas. The opening of Servier BioInnovation near Boston marks a milestone in the Group’s effort to step up its presence in terms of R&D and BD&L in the U.S. The Group has already begun working toward this goal by signing agreements with private partners such as pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Amgen) and business accelerators (LabCentral, Plug and Play Health & Wellness), as well as public partners, as illustrated by its strategic research alliances with MIT and the renowned Harvard University.

“Servier BioInnovation results from the Group’s commitment to expand its presence in the U.S. for the long-term, through R&D and BD&L activities.” says Christophe Thurieau, Director of Research Centers and SIRNs^[2] at Servier’s R&D Directorate. “The Boston area offers an amazing concentration of innovation for pharmaceutical industry players, especially in the field of oncology.”

Moreover, Servier BioInnovation is the first member of the Servier International Research Network (SIRN), whose role is to increase the Group’s visibility, attract talent and establish R&D partnerships through targeted representation in the world’s top innovation centers.

The Group plans to roll out additional SIRN networks in 2018 in San Francisco and Beijing.

Adapting to the specific aspects of each market is key to meeting patient needs.

A strategic recruitment 

To head the Boston site, Dr. Christian R. Schubert has joined the Group as Director of Servier BioInnovation. His mission will be to identify opportunities and potential partners in the Group’s five therapeutic areas. He will also define actions to increase Servier’s visibility on the East Coast.

Mr. Schubert, who studied neurobiology and biochemistry at MIT and Harvard, is an expert in health-related innovation and has previously held positions with Biogen and Pfizer. His knowledge of the local network of universities, e-health start-ups, biotech companies and institutions in charge of innovation in the healthcare sector will be an invaluable asset.

[1] Source: LEEM report, 2017

[2] Servier International Research Network