Grand Ouest Region: an innovative player in health

Brittany, Centre Val-de-Loire and Pays de la Loire have managed to make a name for themselves in a hyper-competitive national landscape when it comes to research and innovation in human health. The key to this recognition? To rely heavily on collective intelligence fed by players who are as competent as they are committed. This is a partial assessment of the situation, but one that offers a wealth of opportunities for project leaders.

With 10,900 researchers in companies and public laboratories, 15 technological innovation centres and platforms, 7 competitiveness clusters and 7 technology parks, Brittany is a recognised territory in terms of R&D. The health industry is one of its leading sectors. The Regional Research and Innovation Strategy S3 2021-2027 has defined five strategic innovation areas, including “Health and well-being economy for a better quality of life” (health technologies, innovative (bio)therapies, prevention - nutrition - environment - work, disability, ageing well, cosmetics). At the February 2021 standing committee meeting, the Regional Council allocated more than €5 million to the Biotech & Health call for projects to encourage collaboration between Breton companies and research laboratories in the health and biotechnology sectors. In addition, the Region’s investment in the capital of the company CoWork’HIT aims to make this cooperative company of collective interest the sole innovation centre for the disability sector. On the research side, new aid has been voted to support the Biogenouest network of health platforms.

As the third French region for biotechnologies, Brittany stands out for its knowhow in therapeutic molecules from marine resources. In addition, the region has a biotechnology sector that brings together more than 300 players within the Capbiotek network. Biotechnology is revolutionising human health with DNA sequencing and biomarkers that allow for personalised medicine. In this context, Brittany is combining biology with a range of genetic and bioinformatics techniques. Moreover, academic research is very dynamic, with very advanced expertise in the field of cancer research (CAMIn - Cancer - Microenvironment - Innovation hospital-university federation, COSS laboratory (Chemistry Oncogenesis Stress and Signaling), MICMAC laboratory (Micro-environment, differentiation, Immunology and Cancer), Cancéropôle Grand Ouest), genetics and cell biology (Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes - IGDR), the study of biological processes and environmental, chemical, biological, physical, socio-cultural, professional factors, and economic factors that influence human health (Institute of Health, Environment and Work Research - IRSET), the dietary, environmental, behavioural and metabolic determinants of health and chronic diseases of the liver and digestive system (Rennes institute “Nutrition, metabolisms and cancer” NuMeCan), the genetic and physiopathological bases of genetic diseases and mitochondrial pathologies (Brest research laboratory “Genetics, functional genomics and biotechnologies” - GGFB), B lymphocytes and autoimmunity (LBAI laboratory).

Biological, technological and clinical resource centres

This expertise can be based on several biological resource centres with their associated data, available within the framework of research, transformation and development programmes. This is notably the case for the Rennes and Brest biobanks. We should also mention the eHOP biomedical data warehouse: shared by the university hospitals of Rennes, Brest, Angers, Nantes, Tours, Orléans and the ICO, this megabase is coupled with powerful tools for medical research: feasibility and prescreening studies, public health studies (pharmacovigilance, epidemiology), medico-economic analysis, analysis of practices and therapeutic evaluation, etc. This is a valuable offer from Europe’s largest hospital data warehouse network. The Biogenouest network of technological platforms is open to companies and public laboratories. Access to specific equipment, services, one-off collaborations or longer-term collaborations within the framework of a consortium are among the services offered to support project leaders. Other key players, the Clinical Investigation Centres (CICs) provide researchers and clinicians with the resources to transfer the results of fundamental research to patients. The CICs in Rennes and Brest offer their skills for investigative work on small groups of

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healthy or sick subjects as well as for large multicentre therapeutic trials in France and Europe. Similarly, CROs (Contract Research Organisations) offer support for conducting clinical studies necessary for the marketing of health innovations.

Thanks to the mobilisation of all these players, Breton companies can boast important innovations: a new generation of “organ on a chip” in vitro test instruments, universal oxygen carriers of marine origin for therapeutic applications (organ preservation, oxygenating plasters, etc.), a connected platform for rapid diagnosis allowing the simultaneous analysis of multiple biomarkers and the detection of antibiotic resistance or infectious diseases, a technology combining imaging and artificial intelligence for the early detection of cancers, patented molecules capable of blocking the triggering of regulated cell death (necroptosis) for applica-

tions in emergency medicine and intensive care, and pharmacological kinase inhibitors for the treatment of induced hearing loss, cognitive deficits associated with Down’s syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. Region is deploying various measures to stimulate innovation and development by bringing together all its players: small and large companies, research players, the academic world, clusters, etc. It is deploying numerous resources to encourage the creation of start-ups: 20 “start-up weekends” have made it possible to detect and support innovative projects between 2016 and 2019. In addition, it supports a sector of excellence focused on pharmaceuticals and has developed effective tools to support innovation. Innovation in health is notably supported by the Nantes University Hospital (with areas of excellence supported by the Thorax Institute, the Urology and Nephrology Transplant Institute, the Institute of Digestive System Diseases and L’Héma - haematology research, not forgetting the first edition in 2021 of the Call for Innovation Ideas aimed at supporting university hospital teams wishing to develop a technological,

organisational or therapeutic innovation project) and HUGO (University Hospitals of the Grand Ouest): structured into 14 investigator networks and 7 competence networks, this network has set up mutualised research support tools such as REGOVAR (DRCI Angers), a software package enabling the analysis of genetic variations in high-throughput sequencing - a benchmark technique for the identification of new candidate genes, and coordinates the DiginewV project as part of the European H2020 programme (with funding of €4.5M). This is an important recognition for this player, which is keen to promote interregional projects and strengthen its national and European research position.

The pooling of know-how and international visibility are also central concerns for innovation players. First and foremost among these are the competitiveness clusters. Atlanpole Biotherapies offers a complete public-private offer on the biodrug value chain from target discovery to clinical evaluation. Based on the teams of Atlanpole, Angers Technopole, Biotech & Santé Bretagne and Polepharma, this interregional cluster (Pays de la Loire - Bretagne - Centre Val de Loire) has defined six areas of excellence, including immunotherapy, radiopharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine, clinical nutrition and microbiota, and digital. As for the Images and Networks cluster, it puts its expertise in digital technologies and uses at the service of five areas of use, including health. Prospects for innovation can be supported by SATT Ouest Valorisation, the innovation and technology transfer centres (PFT/CRT), the CRITT Santé & Biotechs, the 7 Technopoles Bretagne federation and the CCI Innovation Bretagne network. Fine examples of collective intelligence.

Promoting the creation of start-ups

“Together we go further”. Armed with this certainty, the Centre-Val de Loire

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