INNOVATION, A KEY GROWTH DRIVER

• 120 million euros spent in Research and Development in 2003 and 11 million euros in up-front fees within the framework of the licensing agreements signed with Cepheid and IDI
• 850 employees dedicated to research
• 9 research centers
• Specific know-how: bacteriology, immunoassays, molecular biology, hemostasis, instrumentation, software

R&D Missons

Reinforce the company’s offerings in microbiology based on its historic expertise and leadership in this field.

• develop a molecular biology range based on our know-how in microbiology, on technical platforms dedicated to various market sectors and needs, as well as a solid portfolio of patents
• in immunoassays, capitalize on VIDAS^® system’s success and the company’s unique biological expertise to broaden the number of assays and develop new platforms
• develop, alongside the traditional hemostasis technologies, a totally innovative technology that may be used to diagnose an infectious condition.

Moreover, it is bioMérieux’s strategy to maintain a high research capacity in relation to advanced technologies: genetics, pharmagenomic, proteomics, biocomputing, micro-technologies (micro-fluidic, electronic, etc.).

Development of New Products

The company’s R&D efforts are focused on:

• developing new reagents, expanding menus, improving ranges and also designing new systems: instruments, software, expert systems and reagents (approximately 80 % of 2003 R&D expenditure)
• implementing an advanced technology research program for integration in future products (20% of 2003 R&D expenditure) with a special focus on molecular biology research (Affymetrix and Apibio)

The allocation of investments in research and development expresses the company’s clear determination to develop its activity in the field of infectious diseases, in particular through molecular biology.