Biotechnology in Lyon

The biotechnology sector is one of the pillars of Lyon’s attractiveness and competitiveness. Linked to the healthcare, biology and chemistry sectors, biotechnologies’ goal in Lyon is to create innovative products and solutions for health, agriculture and the environment. The importance of the sector makes the city an especially attractive destination for entrepreneurs.

Today, the sector represents tens of thousands of jobs, in the healthcare or biotech-pharma-medtech sectors, for over 2,000 employers. It offers a dynamic environment in which large multinationals, medium-sized companies, research labs and universities collaborate to create innovative solutions, covering the entire value chain from fundamental research to the commercialisation of products and services.

Universities offer programmes that allow students in Lyon with a high-quality education in this promising sector, and they are also a source of talent for local companies. The University of Lyon, INSA Lyon, SupBioTech and ISARA Lyon are among the institutions offering specialised programmes.

The biotechnology sector in Lyon is organised around competitiveness hubs that encourage collaboration and innovation.

• Lyon Biopole is an international-level competitiveness hub whose goal is to lead the health ecosystem in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It supports its 250 members in developing their innovation and growth projects. Its numerous missions include making access to regional financial aid easier, promoting public and private partnerships and helping companies to develop in France and internationally.
• The Gerland Biodistrict, located in the 7th arrondissement, brings together sector stakeholders. It boasts cutting-edge facilities such as the P4 Inserm laboratory, the Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon and the Biosciences federative research structure (SFR Biosciences). The Gerland Biodistrict provides more than 5,000 jobs in total.
• Bioparc Lyon, the high-tech park in the 8th arrondissement, specialises in life sciences and offers large and innovative laboratories for companies looking to settle at the heart of Lyon.

The presence of such structures makes the city all the more attractive for entrepreneurial projects in biotechnologies. They provide easier access to strategic partnerships and research institutions.

Lyon is home to many biotechnology sectors. The city is particularly renowned for its healthcare sector.

• Immunology and infectiology: it’s a focal point in research and development in diagnostics and vaccine productions, with the presence of the International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI), the Bioaster technological research institute or the Lyon Civil Hospital (HCL) Infectious Agents Institute.
• Cancerology: Lyon plays a significant role in combatting cancer, boasting a high concentration of research centres and clinical institutes, including the Lyon Cancerology Research Centre (CRCL), the Lyon Civil Hospitals (HCL) Cancerology Institute, the Synergie Lyon Cancer Foundation or the Lysarc (dedicated to clinical research in lymphoma).
• Neurosciences: this sector is dedicated to combatting neurodegenerative diseases and developing pharmaceutical solutions and medical devices. Research and cutting-edge treatments are developed by institutions such as the Stem Cell and Brain Institute, the Lyon Neurocampus, the Pierre-Wertheimer Hospital or the Le Vinatier Hospital.
• Nutrition: numerous specialised research centres are present, bridging the gap between Lyon’s biotechnology and food industry: the CarMeN cardiovascular, metabolism, diabetology and nutrition laboratory, the Rhône-Alpes Human Nutrition Research Centre (CRNH) or the European Centre for Nutrition and Health (CENS).

Aside from research centres and hospitals, Lyon is also home to numerous specialised companies. Big names such as Sanofi and bioMérieux are located there, but the local entrepreneurial landscape is diverse, with innovative small businesses also playing a central role in biotechnology.

Multinational companies in the sector that have chosen Lyon include Boehringer Ingelheim, which has set up its French headquarters there, along with multiple veterinary vaccine production centres. The international group Baxter has a production centre in Meyzieu and a distribution centre in Jonage.

SMBs also play a significant role in biotechnologies, with companies such as Adocia, which specialises in diabetes treatment solutions, Powel, which focuses on researching chronic metabolic diseases or CTI Biotech, which is dedicated to creating human tissue to develop innovative solutions for medical research.

If you have an entrepreneurial project in this sector, the city’s cutting-edge research centres and innovative companies provide an exceptional density of potential strategic partnerships. Lyon also provides easy access to young talents thanks to its numerous world-class academic institutions. The city can be a real growth accelerator for your company.

Lyon also offers a high quality of life. Its affordable cost of living, numerous parks, beautiful streets, rich cultural life and gastronomy make it a good place to live, which is a key factor in attracting and retaining the best talent.

Thanks to its dynamic biotechnology sector, Lyon is an attractive city for specialised projects. Are you looking to start a project or expand an existing activity in the metropolitan area? Whatever your goal is, ONLYLYON is here to help. Contact us to discuss your needs and find the right solutions for your project.