Merieux Alliance Becomes Institut Merieux
family holding company, announces today that it changes its name to take on
the historic name of Institut Merieux. At a press conference held in
Alain Merieux reviewed the important role played by industrial biology in the
face of major public health challenges including infectious diseases, cancer,
personalized medicine, theranostics and nutrition. Along with Alexandre
Merieux and the management teams, he outlined the many strengths that
Institut Merieux and its companies-bioMerieux, Transgene, ABL and Silliker-
will rely upon to meet these challenges in three strategic areas:
- in vitro diagnostics,
- immunotherapy ,
- food safety and nutrition.
“Today we are returning to a name with historic value: the name Institut
Merieux, created in 1897 by Marcel Merieux. We are especially attached to the
symbol this name represents, but above all it is a flag for our commitment to
serving the medicine of tomorrow,” said Alain Merieux. “Now more than ever,
we intend to serve public health globally. This flag stands for longstanding
values that are as relevant today as they were yesterday: the long-term
vision that is essential for our bio-industrial activities, a resolutely
global approach, and growth driven by scientific innovation, upholding the
family and Pasteurian tradition.”
Institut Merieux plans to mobilize all the scientific, industrial and
financial resources necessary to carry out its missions to serve medicine and
public health worldwide. Following the sale last August of the ShanH holding,
which controlled the Indian vaccine company Shantha Biotechnics, the
Institute has concentrated on the development of three key areas of activity,
with an emphasis on scientific innovation and an international presence.
Institut Merieux, through its companies, pursues an original,
innovation-based strategy focusing on:
- multidisciplinary partnerships combining public and private research,
such as the partnership forged recently by the CEA and the Institut
Pasteur;
- cross-disciplinary research programs involving the group's companies
and, in certain cases, Fondation Merieux:
- ADNA (Advanced Diagnostics and New Therapeutics Approaches): This
personalized medicine and theranostics program brings together
bioMerieux, Transgene, Genethon and GenoSafe and is supported by OSEO
(French Agency for innovation aid).
- A three-fold approach to fighting tuberculosis: With 8 million new
cases each year, this disease represents a major public health
concern. It will be the focus of a diagnostics approach (with
bioMerieux), a vaccine approach (with Transgene), and an
epidemiological approach with studies conducted by Fondation Merieux
in India and China.
- Food safety /nutrition /health: New areas of scientific and medical
investigations are being explored in connection with metagenomics, at
the frontier of nutrition and health.
- Merieux Research Grants are awarded for particularly innovative
research projects that will enable the creation of international
scientific investigator networks.
Within the scope of its strategy to promote innovation, Institut Merieux
has created Merieux Developpement, a new, 100% controlled investment firm
devoted to healthcare. This firm aims to identify and accompany particularly
innovative businesses and projects in the fields of diagnostics, prevention
and therapeutics, medical devices and health-related services. As a minority
shareholder and pro-active partner, Merieux Developpement intends to apply a
long-term vision to its investment strategy and plans to accompany the firms
in which it invests, enabling them to benefit from Institut Merieux’s
bio-industrial experience and providing access to its international network.
Merieux Developpement could invest up to
years in high-potential firms in
Institut Merieux strengthens its international presence, particularly in
For 22 years Institut Merieux has been operating in
create a center combining R&D, bio-industrial and commercial activities.
Following
advanced base for Institut Merieux and its companies worldwide, in a region
that has high-level potential in biology and substantial public health needs.
Discussions are currently underway to finalize the necessary investments.
About Institut Merieux
With extensive experience in industrial microbiology, Institut Merieux
contributes to serving medicine and public health across the globe. For the
fight against infectious diseases and cancer, it imagines and develops new
approaches in the fields of diagnostics, immunotherapy, and food safety and
nutrition.
With its three business activities- bioMerieux, Transgene and
Silliker-Institut Merieux has the potential to provide answers to the new
challenges of public health globally: personalized medicine and new
therapies, infectious diseases and cancer, food safety and nutrition.
bioMerieux, listed on the Euronext Paris market and 59% owned, is based
in Marcy l’Etoile (France). World leader of in vitro diagnostics and
industrial microbiological controls, bioMerieux employs 6,400 people. With a
global presence in 150 countries, the group has a network of 39 subsidiaries
and generates revenues amounting to
Transgene: Based in
controlled and is listed on the
immunotherapy products for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases.
Silliker is a privately-owned company, 89% controlled, based in
(
to improving food safety and nutrition, with 3,000 employees, Silliker
operates in 16 countries today.
ABL Inc (Advanced BioScience Laboratories),is a privately-owned company
100% controlled, based in
specialized in virological research.
Institut Merieux employs nearly 10,000 people in the service of public
health worldwide and generates net sales of over
http://www.institut-merieux.com
SOURCE institut merieux