GSK and Oncodesign have signed an agreement for Oncodesign to acquire the François Hyafil Research Centre located in Villebon-sur-Yvette (Essonne) from GSK, part of the Paris Saclay innovation cluster, including transfer of the team of highly qualified drug discovery staff located at the site (anticipated to be 57 employees). The agreement is expected to become unconditional and effective by or on 1st December 2016.
Established in 1987 and located in a new state-of-the-art research facility opened in 2010, the François Hyafil Research Centre was most recently a Flexible Discovery Unit that provided scientific expertise and resources to support drug discovery and incubate new science within GSK. The capabilities within the facility include delivery of medicinal chemistry, biology, in vivo pharmacology and drug metabolism/pharmacokinetics capabilities with experience in many therapeutic areas.
“We welcome the François Hyafil Research Centre staff, who are recognized industry-wide. This strategic acquisition of GSK’s research center will allow Oncodesign to boost its drug discovery programs and Experimentation businesses. It will support Oncodesign to position itself as a leading player in the business of Full Drug Discovery Services, a new market for us,” said Philippe Genne, CEO and founder of Oncodesign. “The acquisition accelerates the development of our strategic partnerships, with IPSEN, BMS and UCB. In addition, it will speed up our Nanocyclix based drug discovery internal programs through increased capabilities and productivity in both oncology and non-oncology areas. Oncodesign will thus strengthen its scientific expertise in one of the most modern research centres in France in addition to acquiring new and complementary capabilities and expansion in non-oncology space.”
“GSK has been fully committed to searching for a high quality research organisation that could acquire the François Hyafil Research Centre, and I am delighted that, through this agreement, the skilled scientists based at the site will have a secure future and can remain part of the science research community in France” commented Jean-Francois Brochard, General Manager GSK France.
