The ceremony, chaired by Olivier Laureau, President of Servier group, took place in the presence of Abdel-Kader Guerza, Sub-Prefect for Palaiseau, Cédric Villani, Deputy of Essonne, Jean-François Vigier, Mayor of Bures-sur-Yvette, Île-de-France Regional Councillor, and representing Valérie Pécresse, President of the Île-de-France Region, Michel Bournat, Mayor of Gif-sur-Yvette, President of the Paris-Saclay Combined District Council, Philippe Van de Maele, Managing Director of Paris-Saclay Public Development (EPAPS), and Jean-Michel Wilmotte, architect for the project.
“It is with great joy and pride to lay the foundation stone of the future Servier Paris-Saclay Research Institute, within this innovative and dynamic ecosystem. This milestone further exemplifies the Group’s ongoing commitment to the discovery of innovative therapeutic solutions for patients,” said Olivier Laureau, President of Servier. “By combining the research activities of our four French sites into a single, unique, and state-of-the-art center in Paris-Saclay, the Servier group is continuing to support France whilst attracting researchers from around the world.”
Paris-Saclay, one of the world’s top 8 innovation clusters
This benchmark project supported by the Paris-Saclay cluster resonates perfectly with the Servier group’s policy of open innovation via a strategy of dynamic partnerships. At its new Research Institute, the Servier group will work alongside other scientific organizations thus providing a natural opportunity for collaboration and potential innovation. Paris-Saclay is one of the world’s top 8 innovation clusters and is home to 40% of all industrial R&D in the Paris region.
Furthermore, the Servier group will be able to rely on the expertise of CentraleSupélec, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), the French National Center for Scientific Research, Paris-Sud University, the Ecole Normale Supérieure and the Ecole Polytechnique, some of which have already been working with the Group for several years.
“The laying of the first stone of the new Servier Research Institute is an embodiment of the collaboration between the Paris-Saclay Public Development and the Servier group. We are delighted to welcome the Servier group to our cluster, whose presence will strengthen the potential for innovation and excellence of the Paris-Saclay site. The synergies that will be created between the major players, thanks to the Servier group’s presence, will make France an even more attractive prospect in terms of scientific and medical innovation,”
explained Philippe Van de Maele, Managing Director of Paris-Saclay Public Development (EPAPS).