Bangalore: Considering the enormous untapped bilateral potential in the biotechnology sector between India and France, the latter has set in motion efforts for linkages. And this year, the Bangalore Bio (the biotechnology event) to be held from June 7 to 9, will see participation from 18 French companies, from zero last year.

"Today France is convinced that an increase in partnerships with India in the biotechnology field is necessary and will bring tremendous rewards for both countries," said Bruno Rouot, scientific attache of the French Embassy.

However, the existing partnerships are not as per the potential.

In order to tap this potential, the French Trade Commission and Ubifrance, the French agency for International Business Development, last year took a mission of Indian companies to Lille in France and this year is bringing the biotech companies which will be in the French pavilion.

Mr. Rouot said France had a strong tradition of fundamental and applied research and the biotech industry gets support in the form of tax credit for research (up to 8 million euro a year per company); young innovative enterprise status (full exemption from payroll taxes on employees involved in R&D); and funding and support of the OSEO group (France's Agency for Innovation).

He said that there were opportunities to partner with 400 biotechnology companies, with a pipeline of 195 candidates in therapeutic products; be a part of one of the seven world class healthcare clusters in France; in 2004 the life science sector garnered 2.3 billion euros (25 per cent) of the French budget for civilian R&D; and provided privileged point of entry for the European market with 2.2 billion euro turnover in bio-drugs currently in France.

To attract investments in France, the IFA (Invest in France Agency), is the national body responsible for promoting, prospecting and facilitating of international investment.

The IFA works in partnership with regional development agencies to offer international investors outstanding business opportunities and customised services.

Further information may be had on www.investinfrance.org/india and with M. Prathik Malhotra, director of the IFA office in New Delhi (prathik.malhotra@affi.fr).

The companies participating in the Bangalore Bio include Actini; Alsace Development International (ADI); Altacare; Biovision; Cerep; Challenge; Chemtox; Clestra Cleanroom; ID Bio; Institut Pasteur; Invivogen; Lessafre Et Cie; LFB; Peaccel; Pierre Fabre; Polyplus Transfection; Transgene and i3research.

The expertise France is bringing to Bangalore is varied. Actini will be offering complete solutions for the sterilisation of biopharmaceutical liquids.

Its expertise is in the implementation of large-scale treatment plants for bio-industries and is looking for partners to promote this concept here.

ADI represents the biotech industry and the economic development authorities of the Alsace region of France. Strategically located in the heart of the French, Swiss and German markets commonly known as Bio Valley, Alsace was recently selected as France's Therapeutic Innovations Cluster.

With over 200 life science companies representing more than 14,000 employees, and 49 research laboratories with 2,200 researchers and more than 62,000 students at universities, Alsace's life sciences cluster is one of the fastest growing in Europe.

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