The turnover in 2007 exceeds 700 millionHowever a new meeting is scheduled today to 15 hoursUnfortunately the show is sometimes awkwardCompetitiveness is played at the country levelHas it been since advancesStep to my knowledgeGlobalization exists we cannot do so usIf new segments grow soaps are also claiming a 3A simple rain stops the issuance of the corn pollenI was also brought in lending to 0 in youngThe slowdown that 2008 should be moderateShould the Cran to launch a Science Park in the South of England. From the top of his old technopĂ´le forty years and its 31 "colleges" all histories with each other, the city of Cambridge overwrites the rest of the country. Along the River Cam, Trinity College (founded in 1546), the Queens'College (1448) and King's College (1441) are the most famous of these temples of knowledge. The first hosted a few legends of the physics of the last century: lord Raleigh, j. j. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, Niels Bohr. The philosopher Bertrand Russell, Francis Crick and Frederick Sanger biologists are also passed by the city to 81 Nobel Prize winners. Between 1966 and 1970, the American economist and regular contributor to the "Echos" Joseph Stiglitz was a "research fellow" rather good at "gonville and caius college". This small settlement founded in 1348 is famous for its three doors used successively by the students in their training: humility, virtue and honor.
It is in the 1960s that Cambridge had initiated the strategic shift of the collaboration between academia and the private sector. A decision focusing on the life sciences that has paid off 40 years later. "The first biotech companies are born in the early 1980s." But we have reached the critical mass only in 2004. "Today, we represent about 40 of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange biotechnology", summarizes Jeff Solomon, who heads the association of the actors in the sector (Erbi). Eight universities as much medical research centres, six institutes of biology, two centres of genetics dependent of the Wellcome Trust, some 20 multinationals of the pharmacy, very many public services to the business and not far from 300 PMI are now grouped in a radius of 30 km (see map). "We have more candidates drugs in clinical trials than any other country in Europe." "This sector employs directly more than 13,000 people and close to 30,000 if pharmaceutical research takes into account," said Jeff Solomon.
Scientific nursery
These successes have given ideas to other universities. At Nottingham, BioCity is clearly based on the Cambridge model. Installed in a former pharmaceutical research centre (released by BASF), it includes for the moment only about 50 companies that turn on its premises. Very oriented towards business, BioCity offers a series of shared services to emerging companies: assistance to patent deposits, presence of venture capital and especially relations with the powerful system of health national (National Health System) which manages clinical trials in the Kingdom.
This "germinator" is a nursery for enterprises with strong scientific component.
After three years of existence, the balance is positive. "The business survival rate is 100 and the average is 40 per year." "Some 350 jobs have been created", said Ken Larkin, responsible for health technology of the regional agency in charge of the promotion of the technopole (East Midlands Development Agency). This incubator is positioned on a particular niche: the health of all nationalities business aimed at the European market from a British step. "We are the least expensive of all English clusters," added the specialist. To promote "the cafeteria effect" essential to the proper functioning of a cluster, architects have implanted a coffee on the top floor of the building. Ronald's Bistro offers a space to relax and interact informally pipes.
Between Cambridge and London, the BioPark of Hertforshire he also tries to compete with the ancestor of Cambridge. Opened in February 2006, it was built in a centre for pharmaceutical research abandoned by its owner (Rock). It is a very specific niche: companies that crossed the Cape of incubation and development of innovative products. It is an extension of the local University partially funded a regional institution (East of England Development Agency). It offers minilaboratoires for rental and relies on two industrial pharmacy located nearby: the AstraZeneca anglo-suédois and Japanese Eisai.
The one and the other are very attentive to emerging biotechnology innovations and on the lookout for good business. The first recently took control of Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT), one of the stars of British biotech (for 703 million or EUR 1 billion). Hamish Cameron, who now runs the business, the United Kingdom is a good mixture between major pharmaceutical groups and small biotech firms. "Some 50 biotech companies are good research in the country and they have a portfolio of more 900 molecules in development." This expert anticipates a very rapid growth of Biologics. "What we see now is only a mere foretaste of what will happen." Applications of monoclonal antibodies will explode over the next years.
Rapid growth
Now integrated into the Galaxy AstraZeneca, CAT is credited to a double-digit growth by its new owner. "We planned to double the size of the company and to proceed with massive recruitment", adds Hamish Cameron. Same optimism in the nippon Eisai, 21st World pharmaceutical laboratory, who wants to make its base of Hertfordshire to double its sales in the European market. The Japanese lab, known for his treatment against Alzheimer's disease (Aricept) prepares him also to hire researchers in number. "We expect to recruit hundreds of scientists from all over Europe," said Andrew Day, responsible for this project.
The National Health Service, public service pilot health Revel, is in line with forecasts. It plans to invest approximately 150 million additional euros in clinical trials over the next four years to test these innovative therapies. In the meantime, it is again Cambridge made the news. This week, as every year in March, when spring showers replace winter rain, the city organizes its Science Festival. During ten days, teachers educate the younger generations to the timeless charms of scientific research.
