Health care industry

400 companies
12,000 employees

23 university research units
3 clinical investigation centres

1 engineering school specialising in biomedical engineering
6 engineering schools

An efficient ecosystem to support the evolution of health industries and technologies

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté excels in providing concrete responses to current challenges such as the ageing of the population, the development of chronic diseases, individualised health needs, prevention, etc. With the presence for more than a century of pharmaceutical gems (Urgo Group, Vétoquinol, etc.) and a network of SMEs often stemming from the microtechnology tradition, experts in the design of medical devices and sub-assemblies (Micro-Méga, Proteor, Statice, etc.), Bourgogne-Franche-Comté has a long history in the field of health.
These companies are integrated into a complete ecosystem that includes the Dijon University Hospital, the Besançon University Hospital, the Georges-François Leclerc Cancer Centre (CGFL), the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté French Blood Establishment (EFS), the Pharm’Image regional pharmaco-imaging centre, numerous research centres and laboratories, the three competitiveness clusters involved in health (PMT, Vitagora and Polymeris), universities and engineering schools. An ecosystem turned towards the future which contributes to making Bourgogne-Franche-Comté a region resolutely invested in the medicine of the future.

A pioneering spirit for research and innovation

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté has 23 university research units and nearly 20,000 students in life sciences and applied technologies. Medical research conducted within the various public and private research structures (CHU, Établissement Français du Sang, Centre de lutte contre le cancer de Dijon) allows the territory to be visible in certain medical specialities such as new cellular and tissue biotherapies, oncology, cardiovascular pathologies, proteomics, instrumentation and medical imaging

Advanced skills in microtechnology and materials

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté combines in its territory advanced skills in micro and nanotechnologies as well as in materials, which are essential assets for inventing and miniaturising ever more efficient medical technologies: FEMTO-ST Institute and ICB Laboratory.

3 areas of excellence in BFC

• Medical technologies
• Pharmaceuticals – Chemicals – Cosmetics
• Biotechnology & Services

A network of partners to support companies

• Innov’Health – The health cluster of the Microtechniques cluster, Innov’Health leads the whole community of companies, research laboratories and higher education schools in the field, through a regional action plan.
• Pôle BFCARE – The BFCare cluster brings together industrialists in the health sector based in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. Its missions include facilitating the emergence of cooperation and synergies between the members of the network, encouraging the exchange of good professional practices and promoting partnerships with the academic world.
• Cluster TIS – The Cluster of Innovative Health Technologies of the North Franche-Comté region, highlights the expertise of its members, particularly in orthopaedics and additive manufacturing.
• Pôle des Microtechniques – The PMT is the reference support structure for subcontractors and industrial manufacturers in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. Its missions are multiple, its ambition unique: to develop the microtechnical know-how at the service of the various markets.
• Pôle Agroalimentaire Vitagora – Vitagora’s mission is to promote the development, industrial performance and innovation of its members.
• Pôle Polymeris – Microsystems and nanotechnologies from plastics, use of nanopolymers or biocompatible polymers

Leaflet (12p – en)

Leaflet (24p – en)

Dixi Medical / ©DR

Medical technologies

Equipment for dentistry, surgery, therapy, ultrasound imaging, special glasses, bone or dental prostheses, neurological valves, etc. Often from the field of microtechnology, regional companies design and manufacture parts for the sector’s major clients or finished products.
Electronics, micro-mechanics, micro-robotics, IT, plastics, surface treatment, optics, these and other skills are mastered for the development of
mastered for the development of innovative
instruments for analysis, diagnosis or treatment.
Many companies were interested in additive manufacturing
interested in additive manufacturing, a revolutionary process
revolutionary process for the medicine of tomorrow.

Some emblematic companies:

DIXI MEDICAL, FCI, FILAB, GROUPE URGO, ILSA, IMASONIC, IMMUNODIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS, MAIN CARE IDO-IN, MEDICOAT, MICRO-MEGA, ONEFIT MEDICAL, PROTEOR, PROTHEOS, PURELAB PLASTICS, SOPHYSA, STATICE, STEMCIS, ZIMMER BIOMET…

Laboratoire Vétoquinol / ©Samuel CARNOVALI

Pharmaceuticals – Chemicals – Cosmetics

The pharmaceutical and chemical industries include research, manufacturing and marketing of medicines for human and veterinary medicine. Bourgogne-Franche-Comté has a strong territorial base in the manufacture of medicines thanks to the presence of major pharmaceutical groups. For some companies in the sector, nutrition is a major area of innovation, thanks to the expertise of the VITAGORA competitiveness cluster.

Some emblematic companies:

ADHEXPHARMA, CENTRE PHARMA, CORDEN PHARMA, CROSSJECT, DELPHARM, GALIEN PHARMHOLDING, GROUPE URGO, MERCK, RECIPHARM, VÉTOQUINOL…

Laboratoire EFS / ©DR

Biotechnology & Services

Biotechnologies, which were developed with the discovery of DNA, are now seen as the medical technologies of the future. In the field of health, they contribute to the understanding of living organisms for diagnosis, vaccines, in vitro fertilisation, genetic engineering and innovative therapeutic drugs.

Some emblematic companies:

GROUPE CEN, INVENTIVA, ICTA, ONCODESIGN BIOTECHNOLOGY, RD BIOTECH…

Sophysa

• Type de project: development
• Activity: manufacture and marketing of neurological valves and intracranial pressure monitoring devices
• Location: Besançon (25)
  
• Partners: DREETS
• Expected jobs: 150
  

Sophysa is a company specialising in the design, manufacture and marketing of neurological valves and intracranial pressure monitoring devices. Present in more than 70 countries, the company has a consolidated turnover of €28 million, 90% of which is exported, with a workforce of 225. In order to consolidate its international positions and conquer new markets, the company needs to develop its production capacity and invest in automation equipment to optimise its processes. This is why Sophysa has launched the construction of a second industrial building that will enable it to triple its production capacity in ten years’ time and double its on-site workforce from 150 to 300 people.

Purelab Plastics

• Type de project: on-site extension
  
• Activity: production of parts, consumables and assembly of plastic systems for the medical sector
• Location: Moirans-en-Montagne (39)
  
• Partners: DREETS, Business France
• Expected jobs: 30

PureLab Plastics, a subsidiary of the American company Gilson, specialises in the production of parts, consumables and assembly of plastic systems for the medical, diagnostic and life science industries. The only French manufacturer of pipette tips and capillary pistons, it is supported by the State for its “France Relance” project to increase its capacity and create a national centre of excellence. This investment, which was facilitated by the Agency, is part of a socially and environmentally responsible approach, allowing the creation of several dozen jobs on the Moirans-en-Montagne site.

CARI23 – A MAJOR ADVANCE IN THE TREATMENT OF LEUKAEMIA

After more than six years of work on one of the most deadly leukemias, a research programme conducted within the French Blood Establishment of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (EFS BFC) with the Besançon University Hospital has obtained significant funding from the National Cancer Institute (INCa) and the DGOS.
Supported by UMR1098-RIGHT (associating EFS BFC, Inserm and UBFC/UFC) and Besançon University Hospital, this project aims to improve the treatment of people suffering from “pDC leukaemia”, an aggressive leukaemia with a particularly poor prognosis.

MIMEDI – STREAMLINING THE MANUFACTURE OF INNOVATIVE MEDICINES

Combining skills in microtechnology (Mi) with those in the production of Innovative Medicines (Médi), MiMédi aims to optimise the Médi of the future in parallel with the development of a new production system. This bioreactor will provide a sterile (closed) environment for low-cost and safe production. It will allow the multiplication, selection and modification of cells (e.g. from blood) taken from a patient until the Medi is packaged.

• EFS de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté – Cell and tissue engineering, medical biology, transfusion medicine, basic and applied research, R&D in innovative therapy, production of innovative therapy drugs. The EFS is equipped with an MTI production platform and is labelled “industrial integrator of the Grand Défi biomédicament”.
• Pharm’image – Regional centre of excellence in pharmaco-imaging. Objective: to evaluate biomarkers for monitoring the effectiveness of treatments and selecting more active molecules using medical imaging technologies.
• CIC Dijon Bourgogne – Epidemiological, medico-economic or clinical studies (phases I to IV) and evaluation of medical devices.
• Institut FEMTO-ST – Micro and nanotechnologies, time-frequency, energy, applied mechanics, robotics, computer science, automation, optics, biomechanics, proteomics, and e-health.
• CGFL – Expert and referral centre in cancerology. 3rd institution at national level for the number of patients included in a biomedical study
• IRFC – Groupement de Coopération Sanitaire composed of public and private health establishments with a medical oncology and radiotherapy activity in Franche-Comté.
• CIC de Besançon – Research orientations: inflammation, transfusion, cancer immunotherapy, Innovative Therapy Medicines, microtechnology and instrumentation, ethics and decision-making, neurocardiovascular and infectious risk.
• Laboratoire ICB – Materials including nanoparticles, reactivity, nanoscience, optics, biomedical applications.

ISIFC – Institut Supérieur d’Ingénieurs de Franche-Comté – Génie Biomédical

The ISIFC, an internal school of the University of Franche-Comté, has had the CTI label for initial training since 2001 as well as for continuing education and VAE. The school trains nearly 50 engineers per year for industry, research and health care centres, who possess a rare triple culture: technical, regulatory and medical.

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