The GSK laboratory has decided to set up in France by announcing a donation of €2.5 million to support the Paris region biocluster, a leading oncology research center. This financial support is in addition to that of pharmaceutical giants, such as Sanofi, Servier and Ipsen, who are already involved in the project.
Located in Villejuif, just outside Paris, the PSCC benefited from the profile proposed by World Cancer Day and the visit of the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, who also visited the Gustave Roussy Institute, the leading cancer center in Europe and neighbor of the PSCC. With four million French people living with cancer, these pathologies remain a political priority.
Launched in 2021, the PSCC is supported by prestigious institutions, such as Paris Saclay University, the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM), Gustave Roussy, the Institut Polytechnique de Paris and Sanofi. The PSCC aims to fast-track cancer research and its industrialization by bringing together pharmaceutical giants, researchers, doctors, startups, laboratories and patient associations in one place.
A winning bet for France
“This is the leading French oncology cluster, with an impact on a national, but also a European and global scale. It would be a mistake not to be part of it,” said Thibault Desmarest, President of GSK France.
The British business plans to set up part of its clinical research teams at the Villejuif site, just like Sanofi in its future building.
Everyone wants to participate in the launch of this French Kendall Square, without however being able to compete with the American biotech cluster, which has been installed in Boston since the 1990s. The PSCC also reports somewhat similar clusters in China and Japan.
Positive economic spin-offs
GSK’s establishment in France amounts to a major economic opportunity. In addition to the donation of €2.5 million, the installation of its clinical research teams in Villejuif will create new highly qualified jobs and stimulate the local economy. The collaboration with French and international businesses within the PSCC will also promote innovation and strengthen France’s position as a world leader in oncology research.
A strong industrial presence in France
GSK is already well established in France, with nearly 3,400 employees spread across several sites. The head office is located in Rueil-Malmaison, in the western suburbs of Paris, while the production sites are in Évreux (Normandie region), Saint-Amand-les-Eaux (Hauts de France) and Mayenne (Pays de la Loire). These sites specialize in the manufacture of respiratory drugs, antibiotics and vaccines, with a large portion of output destined for export. GSK is also investing heavily in research and development in France, with nearly €150 million invested by 2025.