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Boehringer Ingelheim is today inaugurating its new global centre for biological research and development at its Lyon Porte-des-Alpes (LPA) location in Saint-Priest France, in the presence of Ms Delphine Gény-Stephann, Secretary of State, attached to the Minister of Economy and Finance. With this 70 million euro investment, the German group signals its intention to reinforce its leading position in the veterinary vaccine market by bringing its R&D and biological production activities into the same centre of excellence.
“This investment addresses the economic, demographic and health concerns involved in preventing and controlling the spread of animal epidemics, some of which can be transmitted to humans, such as rabies and avian flu,” explains Nigel Swift, Global Head of Vaccines Research & Development at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health.
This new 14,500 square meter building has four floors and required three years of planning and construction. More than 200 people work in this high-tech laboratory, designed to allow employees to pool expertise and to provide optimal and scalable work conditions suited to new environmental standards.
The inauguration of this biological R&D centre is the final phase in the transfer of the former Merial laboratories from Lyon’s Gerland district to the LPA site. “By bringing together R&D and production activities into the same location in Lyon Porte-des-Alpes, this site becomes a leading international centre for biological excellence. The teams will work more closely together with the added benefit of increased productivity, responsiveness and performance,” shares Erick Lelouche, President of Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health France.
Through this center of excellence, Boehringer Ingelheim aims to accelerate its growth while remaining faithful to its core mission: creating value through innovation. Less than two years after acquiring Merial and one year after inaugurating its new French headquarters dedicated to animal health in the heart of the Lyon-Gerland Biodistrict, the German group also intends to position the Lyon metropolitan area at the centre of its international growth strategy, capitalising on this region’s history as the cradle of life sciences and immunology.
This strong commitment is illustrated by recent company decisions, including the announcement of a 65 million euro investment in a vaccine formulation and filling facility at this same LPA location (scheduled to be operational in spring 2020). This inauguration comes on the back of the announcement early this summer that the company will invest a record 200 million euros in a new biotechnology manufacturing facility for vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease and Bluetongue Virus (BTV) in the ZAC de Gaulnes joint development zone in Jonage, near Lyon. The ground-breaking is scheduled to take place this autumn with the project completion at the end of 2021.
October 12, 2018 – Boehringer Ingelheim
