The Region is continuing to attract its share of foreign, young biotech and medical companies seeking a favourable environment in which to develop.
In recent months, several new companies have set up in Wallonia:
- PDC*Line pharma – France (immunotherapy)
- OncoRadiomics – Netherlands (medical imaging for cancer detection and treatment)
- Clarity Pharmaceuticals – Australia (cancer detection)
- Pluriomics – Pays-Bas (research and treatment of cardiac problems)
- Biosourcing - France (development of animal medicines)
- And others...
After the success of Ogeda which sold its research for 800 million euros, there is a growing interest from international companies who would like to develop cutting-edge research. Wallonia has space, brilliant researchers and a good working environment, everything needed to convince biotech giants to establish a facility near us. Furthermore, it has a Walloon Cell Therapy Platform, which is a huge, 5,500 m2 factory for cellular medicines (including 1,500 m2 of clean rooms) at the Gosselies Aeronautics Park.
Wallonia has become a world leader in research in the field of cell therapy. A success which can be attributed to the quality of the research by our universities but also by the important role played by our public authorities. The Walloon Region has allocated over 65 million euros of funding (Marshall Plan) to this sector since 2005.
"We have a head start in cell therapy but if we want to maintain it, we must be proactive", insists Paul Magnette, Minister-President of the Region. "Wallonia will only recover it if re-industrialises its economic fabric. This re-industrialisation will take place through cutting-edge research in the traditional sectors of our economy, but also by diversifying our economic fabric into promising new sectors such as biotech."
